Forever Yours
by Kristie20
Summary: "Everyone has a story to tell. I too have one; but it is not your usual fairy-tale romance. It is my fight for love. I am Isabella Swan, and this is the story of how my life was ripped apart from me. But not all you can see is the reality and not everyone achieves their HEA as a piece of cake. There are things which we could not even imagine existing, even in our wildest dreams."
1. PROLOGUE

**A/N** **: Hey guys. So for those who had read the first and second chapter, which I had ironically posted before prologue, make sure you read it first before continuing to chapter 3 which will be posted soon. This will give you a little glimpse of what's in store later. And for those who have started reading this now then please forgive me for any mistakes as this is my first fanfic. I know I say it all the time. All twilight stuff belong to SM but this is mine. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **A huge THANKS to EdwardsFirstKiss for pre reading and editing these for me. You made this all the more exciting and knowledgeable for me. :)**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 10, 2017)**

 **So here you go.**

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

 **BELLA**

January 3, 2017

Have you ever experienced a situation in which you felt like- 'out of frying pan into fire'? That very same thing is happening to me at this very second. My eyes are taunting me to believe what I am seeing, but my brain is ordering me away from this scenario, while I think my heart had been dead and gone to heaven or hell long ago. I am nothing but a shell of my former self and if I were the fly on the wall at this very moment, I would have definitely seen the look of shock and incredulity that mar my features making them paler than before. What I am witnessing, out of the blue, is next to impossible.

Somewhere in my heart of hearts, I know I must be dreaming. That somehow my mind has fabricated this for my own sanity. But then again, the pain that I always used to have in my chest, seems to be almost disappearing. The horror on my face must be evident to any outsider. I can't even bring myself to stop staring and move my feet, which are supposedly glued to the floor. I am unable to decide whether to bathe myself in the sight before me or run far away and never come back.

But as I look in those hauntingly familiar green eyes, blackness envelopes me.

* * *

 **So I know this wasn't much and maybe my note was bigger than this, but I hope I can garner your interest by it. Is it so? Thank you for reading :)**

 **-K**


	2. Chapter 1: Empty without you

**A/N:** **Hello everyone. This is my first fanfic story so I request my readers to forgive my mistakes. I already promised a HEA. Currently 5 chapters are ready to be posted but I would love to hear your response for chapter 1 so that I can confidently post others. Please take your time to read and review this. There will be some flashbacks in between which I had earlier posted in italics, but after my beta's suggestion (EdwardsFirstKiss, who is in process of editing the chapters I had posted earlier), am converting them in plain text as she had said my dates in the beginning are enough. So pay attention to these dates. A huge THANKS to EdwardsFirstKiss for doing this for me and also to Deb Drotonu for asking her to help me. :)**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 9, 2017)**

 **And as you all know all characters belong to Stephanie Meyer but the plot here is mine. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **BELLA**

December 20, 2016

Walking amidst the dazzling snow, I was finding my way to _'Demoz'._ It was the snowiest day of the season and this Christmas was expected to be covered in a white blanket.

I still remembered the day four years ago when I met him.

He had changed my entire universe with a 180 turn. This snow was the blinding reminder of all those promises made on his part. Tears filled my eyes, but with every ounce of strength within me, I have maintained over the past two years I pushed my feet harder to get to my stop.

I reached the bar where I was supposed to meet my friends. A slow smile set on my lips as I imagined the shocked looks, they all would grant on seeing me. I quickly made my way through the crowd but was suddenly gathered in some monstrous arms that knocked the breath out of me. A shrill high-pitched shriek was enough to slow down my anxiety. "Bells! You made it." I looked up to meet the face of the dumbhead holding me, who suddenly almost lost his balance by a smack to his head.

"You idiot, you will cut off her breath, put her down," Rosalie spat, flashing me an encouraging smile.

"Oww! What little faith you have in me Rosie. Oh Bella, finally you have come out of your shell," Emmett, the said idiot, commented laughing obnoxiously and released me from his shackles. I just rolled my eyes at him but was immediately engulfed in the arms of a bouncing pixie. _Wow! So much for hugging the shit out of me._

"Oh Darling, I have missed you so much," whispered Alice, my best friend and the equivalent of a pixie. Her husband, Jasper calmed her excitement and pried me out of her arms which earned him a grateful smile.

"Hey guys, it's good to see you all again. I missed you, too," I smiled returning their warm greetings.

"So now, that you have finally decided to shower your presence upon us, let's celebrate the damn evening," guffawed Emmett throwing his arms high in the air. I can't help but smile at all of their familiar faces happy to see me here, but also concerned for me which marred their happy demeanor.

The last 4 years have been nothing if not doomed in isolation for me due to my own inability to pull myself out of my sorrows. Quickly drifting myself away from _his_ thoughts I said, "Yeah! Of course, but it's my treat."

"Swwweeet!" cheered Emmett.

Frank, the bartender brought us our requested 'poison' and the conversation started to effortlessly flow.

"So Bella have you decided anything regarding the Seventh Street project yet?" Everybody let out a gasp as soon as the question left Em's mouth. Rose shot him a death glare which made him realize his mistake and all color drained from his face. "Oh Bells, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize..."

I cut off his apology with a wave of my hand, "Hey guys it's Ok. I can't cling onto that incident for my entire life now, can I? Em, I have just decided that I will submit my acceptance to the project and from there we will see how it goes."

All four eyes stared at me bewildered as if I had grown an extra head. At that moment I realized how much I have hurt them by wallowing in my grief. But maybe I can overcome it all now. Maybe I can break down the walls now that have surrounded me for two years.

I am Isabella Swan and I work as a landscape architect for an architectural firm.

Emmett McCarty is my colleague and the head of the construction company our firm has ties with. He has excellent management skills and a sharp mind regarding all things about construction but he has the heart of a kid. He lives with his fiancée Rosalie Hale, who is a well-respected lawyer. She is the calm to his super childlikeness. Jasper Hale is her younger brother who is an architectural engineer at the same firm where I work and is married to my best friend, Alice. Alice Brandon - or rather I should say Alice Hale now - is a fashion designer. I have known her since the sixth grade and we have been joined at the hip ever since. We grew up in a small town in Washington State – Forks, but after graduation, we moved to Rochester, New York to get our academic degrees from the University of Rochester. That is where we met Jasper and Rosalie.

Over the past four years, Jasper, Emmett, and I have been working for 'Cullen Architecture', one of the best architecture firms in New York and the surrounding area while Rose works as a prosecutor for the District Attorney's Office. Alice owns a boutique and has organized various major fashion events.

"Umm! If you are sure then we'll support you darling," Jasper's words pulled me out of my thoughts and everybody nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys I appreciate that," I smiled warmly, taking a sip of my drink.

"Hey Bella, please come to the restroom with me," Alice said already tugging at my arm. As soon as we leave the group, Ali enveloped me in a fierce hug.

"Hey! What is it Ali?" I asked straightening my clothes.

"Nothing, I've just missed you like mad. You know after Edward was gone you just...," she stops at that seeing me wince at his name. "Oh, I'm sorry Bella..."

"It's fine. I am alright," I sighed. "Let's go, Ali." I said dismissing further conversation.

We return to our group, but I was done for the night. "Guys, I think I will leave now. Em and Jazz, I will see you tomorrow at work. Ali and Rose it's been good to see you today. Bye, love ya'll." We exchanged hugs and goodbyes before I turn to leave the bar.

But as I made my way to the exit, walking amidst the same dazzling snow, I realized how wrong I was.

Because I can never get over Edward Cullen.

* * *

 **So this was chapter 1. Please review to let me know what you think about it. Thank you for reading :)**

 **-K**


	3. Chapter 2: I met you

**A/N** **: Hey guys. Thank you to all those who marked my story as favorite or liked it enough to follow it. Also thank you for taking your time to read it. So here is the next chapter waiting to be devoured by its lovely readers. Hope you enjoy it. Again please focus on the dates to understand it better.**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this for me. It means a lot. :)**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 9, 2017)**

 **And as you know SM owns all twilight related stuff but this plot is mine.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER** ** 2**

 **BELLA**

I dragged myself into my apartment and locked the door. It was good seeing all my friends, but the night proved to be a whirlwind of emotions to me. Taking out a bottle of wine from the refrigerator, I filled myself a glass and made my way to the window. I sighed rubbing my face. It has been two years, but I was still the same, yet totally different. My life has taken the worst turn, and I was unable to get over it. I took a sip from my glass and looked out into the hustle and bustle of Rochester, finally allowing myself to drift back four years ago, when my soul had came alive for the first time.

* * *

December 13, 2012

" _Urrgghhh_.. I quit Ali! What's the use of a Post Graduate degree in urban design when I can't even get a god damn job? I mean, it has been months since we graduated, and here I am 'a jobless pathetic mess." I whined in frustration to my bestie Alice. She had recently completed her internship in fashion design and was now a renowned owner of her own boutique. She had come from old money, but damn me if she was not a talented soul.

"Oh, sweetie you know this isn't the end. Something much better and beyond this world is waiting for you," encouraged _Miss-ever-the-optimist._

"Yeah of course, aliens are waiting in the wings to offer me a job," she giggled as I rolled my eyes.

"Bellsiee...," she started but stopped as her phone started ringing. "Hello Jazzy, tell me you grabbed that job!" She let out a high pitched squeal at her boyfriend's answer- which of course must have been a ' yes', seeing the intensity of her reaction- that I thought had at least, shaken some windows. I continued to listen to her one-sided conversation. "Oh baby, I am so proud of you... No, she didn't... Uhhmmm... Yea? Ohh that would be great.. When? OK I will tell her... Love you too."

I smiled at her affectionate greeting. Alice was the only person I had in my life, except for her boyfriend Jasper and his sister Rosalie. But Alice was like a sister from another mister and if anyone deserved love and happiness, it was her. My birth parents had left me in an orphanage, as soon as I was born, the reason which is unbeknownst to me. I was told this information by Mrs. Marie Swan (whose surname I have chosen to adopt) who was present that night and witnessed my turn over. She was an older woman in her sixties and like a mother I never had. I was a quiet child and never chit chatted unnecessarily. She accepted my desire for silence and always took care of my needs. She was the one who arranged books and transportation so I could attend school. She died when I was twelve and soon thereafter, I was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Newton who ran a foster home. They initially seemed to be good people but eventually became mean. I don't know the reason but it must have been due to my inability to interact with other people. I was miserable but my only ray of sunshine was Ali, whom I had met in the 6th grade. Her parents adored me and sometimes helped me with certain necessities, which the Newton's failed to provide. My solace came in the form of an acceptance letter to the University of Rochester with a full scholarship. And that's how we found our way to Rochester.

"Guess what Bella! Jazz got a job at Cullen Architecture!" My eyes widened at her words. Cullen Architecture was the most reputed architectural firm in all of New York state making a profit of billions of dollars each year. People just killed to get a job there. "And you are gonna deny this, but they are in immediate need of a landscape architect for their latest project as it is quite a big one. This is a fan-fucking-tastic opportunity, Bella."

I was out of my seat before the words left her mouth. I grabbed her shoulders and questioned her for details. Apparently Jasper has referred me for the position and I was called for an interview with the CEO, the next day.

Channelling my _inner-Alice_ I squealed in excitement.

* * *

December 14, 2012

"Documents?"

"Check."

"Wallet?"

"Check."

"Pen?"

"Check."

"Lipstick?"

"Check.. Wait.. What? Why do I need a lipstick for an interview Ali?"

She shot me a _Don't-fuck-with-me-look_ and said, "I am the _fashionista_ not you!"

"Is ' _fashionista_ ' even a word?" wondered Rose absently, doing my hair. Both of them had decided to make me presentable for the interview, giving Alice the chance to play Bella Barbie.

" Rose, please don't take Bella's side and let me do my job." I looked at Rose and we both rolled our eyes at our friend's antics as they each resumed their work.

"Now you're perfect sweetie." Alice clapped happily.

I had to agree that she had done a great job. I was dressed in a black, knee length, tight skirt with black sheer stockings and a navy blue top, which complimented my pale skin. My legs looked a mile long in the heels she had put me in, and I loved them. My dark brown hair was pinned up neatly in a bun and there was a little eyeshadow highlighting my brown eyes.

"Wow you look great Bella," Rose complimented. I thanked both of them as they wished me luck and left the apartment I shared with Ali.

My appointment was scheduled at 11 o' clock with Mr. Cullen. It was quarter to eleven as I stepped out of the cab and came face to face with the sign 'Cullen Architecture'.

The building was old fashioned but designed with graceful lines. It was constructed of red colored bricks and there was a logo in blue with the letter 'C' on the top. An elegant figure was engraved below the logo. I made my way inside and was shocked to see the contrast. As old school as the building looked on the outside, on the inside it was equipped with modern machinery and furniture. The side walls were glass and the floor was an expensive marble. Gathering my thoughts I walked towards the reception desk and was greeted by a dark brunette.

"Umm..Hello. I am Isabella Swan and I have an appointment with Mr. Cullen."

She made a show of checking her computer and then told me to wait for him in the office.

I walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the office, the brunette had pointed out earlier. I twisted the knob to open the door. The room was empty, just as the brunette had said, so I took a chance to observe my surroundings, closing the door behind me. The room was painted white and had black furniture. A floor to ceiling window showed the outside. Beautiful paintings lined the wall and many trophies and mementos were arranged artistically on shelves, which were also full of books.

The click of the door brought me out of my musings and as I turned, I was met with the most beautiful pair of green eyes I had ever seen.

* * *

 **So how was It? Like It? Or not? Please review to let me know your thoughts. For any queries you are free to PM me :)**

 **-K**


	4. Chapter 3: I fall for you

**A/N:** **Hey readers. So here's your chapter 3 and consider yourself warned as there is some sexy description ahead. LOL. Just saying. Again all mistakes and this plot is mine while SM own all twilight world. See you at the bottom.**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this chapter and all her valuable suggestions.**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 9, 2017)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3**

 **BELLA**

December 21, 2016

I woke up with a start to a ringing sound. At some point in the night, I might have made my way to the bedroom. My head was hurting like a bitch, reminding me of the drinks I had consumed last night. My phone started ringing again as I grabbed it from the nightstand and answered the _damn-sleep-interrupter._

"Good morning sunshine. I called to remind you about the meeting at ten this morning..." Jasper trailed off saying, "I mean if you still want to accept the _Seventh Street_ contract..."

I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. "Yea, I'll be there Jazz and yes I want to do it."

"Oh, ok that's good... So see you there.. and Ali says hello."

We ended the call after exchanging some more pleasantries. I looked at the clock and it was half past eight. Taking some painkillers for my banging headache, I quickly made my way to the bathroom and after having a quick shower, went to the kitchen to fix some breakfast.

I made a cup of ginger tea and heated the pizza I had left in the refrigerator last night before going to _Demoz_. Sipping my tea, I looked around the place I have been calling home for the past two years. Facing the kitchen were two navy sofa chairs, in front of a large window. A dining table with six chairs was in the adjoining space. A few nature pictures adorned the walls. Nothing too personal. The bedroom was to the right of the kitchen and opposite that was the guestroom. My study was adjacent to my room which I used when I worked from home.

Some people may think this place seems small; but it's perfect for me. This was the only place where I had found some peace of mind after he left. I shook my head to avoid drifting in that territory again. Finishing my breakfast, I washed the dishes and started getting ready for work.

* * *

I walked into the building and was greeted by Jessica at the front desk. I nodded in return and made my way to the President's office. I knocked on the door and was signalled in.

"Bella! It's lovely to see you dear." Mrs. Cullen greeted me, pulling me into a hug. She was a wonderful woman in her mid-fifties, but didn't look a day over forty. She had a petite figure, with shoulder length auburn hair and green eyes. _Green just like his..._

Shaking my head, I smiled at her, "It's good to see you too, Esme."

"Jasper told me that you decided to accept the project, but Bella are you sure..." Mr. Cullen expressed his concern. He was a gentleman with blonde hair and blue eyes in his late fifties. He had a commanding personality and was the proud owner of Cullen Architecture.

"Yes Carlisle, I think it's time now." I said quietly.

"You my dear are a brave woman. I know that you can do this. I am so proud of you." Esme added affectionately.

"I know what Esme said is true but Bella you know there is no pressure. You can have a look over other projects and we can pass this one to someone else. It will not affect your position as the Department Head of the landscape architectural base if that's what you're worried about. I personally don't think it would do you much good to take over this project, after everything that happened with my son..." He trailed off and I winced fighting the tears, threatening to spill at any moment now. Esme looked at me with glassy, tearful and concerned eyes.

I took a deep breath and gave him a tight smile, "Thank you for your concern, Carlisle. But I think I should be professional. With my whole heart I am ready to complete the project."

"If that's what you want, then who am I to stop you? Please make yourself comfortable in the conference room and I'll inform others to be there as well," Carlisle said smiling encouragingly.

Giving them a nod, I walked out and headed for the conference room.

It was a big room with white chairs surrounding the center table. There was a screen on the front wall and another wall alongside was covered in achievements and pictures of different buildings and pieces, which had been designed by The Cullens.

I took my seat in one of the chairs, as the traitor tears finally started to spill, forcing me to be succumbing to my thoughts. My heart was in my throat as I thought about the first time I had been in this room.

* * *

December 14, 2012

"Hello. You must be Miss Swan," a velvet voice pulled me out of my journey through those green eyes. My cheeks heated from the blush and I shook my head to clear it.

"Amm.. Ye..ss.. I mean.. Yes sir, I am Isabella Swan. And you must be Mr. Cullen," I said nervously, offering my hand.

"Edward Cullen," he said, shaking my hand. I felt a spark run through me at the contact and softly pulled my hand away. He looked at me curiously and said, "Miss Swan, please have a seat." I turned to pull my chair out, but he beat me to it. I looked at him from under my eyelashes and sat down muttering 'thanks'. He settled himself in the chair opposite me, seeming as if he was enjoying my predicament.

"So I have been told you are here for the position of landscape architect. May I ask why you want this position?"

I cleared my throat and said, "I was not specifically looking for this particular job, if I am being honest, sir. I have a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture as well as a Master's degree in urban design because I have always wanted to do something creative; making things look extraordinary in a sense that soothes one's eyes as well as being eco-friendly.. People have so much stress in their daily lives and the sight of beautiful colors merging is one means of relief. I want to be the one to do that and this job is one of the best ways to begin."

He was looking at me with an unfathomable expression and I felt myself drowning in his stare. He was hands down, the most beautiful man I had ever set my eyes on. His hair was a disarray of the prettiest and rarest shade of red. Maybe it was auburn as some shades of golden brown were mixed in. His hair was messed up in the sexiest way. It made me want to bury my hands in his hair to see if it was as soft as it seemed. He has the most extraordinary green eyes, with flecks of gold and brown in them. He has a straight nose and a sharp jawline. He was neatly shaved and his lips... _God, those lips should be damned illegal_. They were the prettiest rose red shade, complimenting his alabaster skin . Oh! How I long to taste them... _What? Where did that came from? If I get this job by some luck, he will be my boss for god's sake_. I mentally chided myself for that.

The clearing of a throat pulled me out of my drooling. "You have a very knowledgeable perspective Miss Swan," he smiled genuinely.

The rest of the interview continued effortlessly and I answered all his questions as best as I could.

"Thank you for coming Miss Swan. If you are comfortable, you can join us from Monday." I think my jaw had hit the floor as soon as those words left his mouth.

"What? Are you sure? I mean you don't have to offer me the job today," I babbled foolishly.

He chuckled and said, "Of course I am sure Miss Swan. It's an honor for us to have such a talented soul join us. We can't let go of you now, can we?" He raised an eyebrow in question and I just looked at my hands, folded in my lap, thinking about some hidden meaning behind his words. "In fact, let me give you a tour of the building and show you where your office will be."

I must have looked up comically at him as he just laughed.

"I think we have to work on your self-esteem, Miss Swan." He smiled crookedly and I think I just fell in love with that smile... _Love? Ugghh.. What's wrong with me!_

"No I am good, sir. Please lead the way, if you don't mind." I countered immediately in order to hide my nerves.

He stood smiling my way, and I followed suit. He opened the door and I swooned internally at his action - _ever the gentleman._

"Edward. Call me Edward." He said as we walked out of his office. I nodded and looked at him sideways. He looked muscular, but had a lean figure. He was wearing a crisp white shirt under a charcoal grey jacket and black jeans, which were sinfully hugging his legs. His hands were buried in his pockets, and his attitude seemed too carefree for a CEO of such a big firm. The muscles of his thighs rippled deliciously with every step. Wow. Now, I was thoroughly checking out my boss. Next I would be checking out his hands and feet... _Oh My God._ There was seriously something wrong with me. Maybe I had gotten brain damage when I banged my head into the bathroom door, this morning. I can't even fathom, what Alice would say- _'Sweet and innocent, virginal Bella salivating for her sexy-as-hell boss'._ Yeah, I could see what that conversation would be like.

We stopped outside a door and he opened it. The room is quite big, and the chairs were lined up on each side of the gallery. In front of each chair, was a desk with a computer and other necessities. Each desk was separated by green colored partitions. The flooring was black and white lined marble and the room was lit by soft of white lighting.

"This is your office, Miss Swan." He winked playfully. "All landscape architects work in here from 12:00 to 7:00 pm, five days a week. You are not expected to be in the building until 11:00 AM on regular days but in case of meetings, we may ask you to arrive early. You will be given other instructions by Jessica, who I hope you had met at the reception desk." So the _brunette_ had a name.

I nodded at him. He then gave me a quick tour of the entire workplace which though tiring left me fascinated. At last, he ushered me into a conference room. It was adorned beautifully with Cullen Architecture designs and had milky white chairs, surrounding a glass table. We then left the room and made our way to the elevator.

" Thank you si... _Edward_ , for offering me this job. I feel extremely grateful," I told him sincerely. He just looked at me with those magical eyes of his, leaving me mesmerized.

"You don't need to thank me Miss Swan. You are one deserving young lady and if I had my way, I would be willing to offer you the world. This job is nothing, compared to what you are giving me.. giving us." The sincerity that shone in his eyes as well as his straight forward comment, made me dizzy and a blushing mess. I felt lost in his very presence.

"I.. I don't know what to say to that."

"I am sorry Miss Swan if I have offended you. I just want you to join our firm," he said, fidgeting with an imaginary thread on his sleeve. Seeing him nervous made me giddy. I just smiled at him and shook my head. He walked me to the elevator in silence.

" Bella," I blurted out as we stepped in front of the elevator. He looked at me quizzically.

"Call me Bella. Or my friends call me Bells. I mean you can call me whatever you wish but I prefer those two names instead of Miss Swan. It's only fair since I am calling you Edward and not Mr. Cullen. And I will stop now, before making a fool out of myself 'cause I'm rambling..." I trailed off, embarrassed.

He laughed mischievously, "Bella it is then." I gave him a shy smile and walked into the elevator.

"Take care, Bella."

"You too, Edward."

* * *

 **First I wanna thank those again who marked my story on alert or as favourite. For my guest reviewer, thank you so much for your compliment and for rest you just have to stay tuned. Well I also wanna confess I was over the moon seeing your review as it was my first so thanks again. Yeah I know that was a childish thing for me to say but still :)**

 **So what do you think about our Bella having naughty thoughts? And what do you think about Edward's behaviour? Is it strange or loving?**

 **Pretty please review and let me know. Again thanks for reading :)**

 **-K**


	5. OUTTAKE

**A/N** **: Hello readers. I am a bit disappointed due to lack of enthusiasm for this story and am at loss because I don't even know what I am doing wrong here. Is the content unappealing? Or am I unable to express myself clearly? I wanted to post chapter 4 but seeing the lack of response for chapter 3 I think I might be making a mistake. Therefore I have decided to post this outtake instead in which you get familiar with Mrs. Marie Swan who Bella have mentioned in chapter 2 worked in her orphanage. There I said that Marie was in her seventies but that doesn't worked with this. So please read it as sixties. I will make the correction there for future readers. It is an interesting chapter in Marie's POV and some secrets are revealed. So please give it a try. There is also some nasty language ahead.**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this and for all her valuable suggestions. :)**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 12, 2017)**

 **Again all twilight belongs to SM while the mistakes here and this plot is mine.**

* * *

 **OUTTAKE** **( MARIE SWAN POV)**

January 9, 1987

"Ma, I'm home." My daughter Renee's voice filled my ears.

"How was your day dear? You haven't beaten up anyone today, have you?"

"Ma you say this like I do it every day," she whined coming to stand next to me in the kitchen. For an eighteen-year -old she was one handful of a kid. She has a bossy and flighty attitude that has given me grey hair at the not so old age of fifty. _Ok! I don't think fifty is that old_. She had definitely got this trait from her father who unfortunately passed away when she was just six years old. He was the Chief of Police in our small town of Forks and was shot in line of duty. I have been a single mother since. I was so devastated initially that I became catatonic. Sometimes I felt personally responsible for my daughter's attitude.

"Hello, earth to Ma!" The click of her fingers bought me out of my musings. I looked at her questioningly. "Good, I'm going to Sarah's place, do you need me to do anything before I go?" She asked impatiently. That was how our relationship was. She never shared her life with me or included me in her talk. She asked or rather told me where she was going, but she never asked my opinion about anything. That was my own doing. If I had not been selfish in my grief all those years ago when her father died, I would have been able to properly take care of her.

"Ok dear but please try to come home before dinner," I said smiling her way.

"Yeah whatever." That's all I got from her. No goodbyes. No kisses. Nothing. But who was I to complain when it was all my fault. I resumed my work, blinking back the tears as I heard the front door close.

 _Four Hours Later_

It's almost ten and Renee hadn't come home yet. I tried calling Didyme, Sarah's mother, but she was unreachable. Finally at half past ten, I got into my Chevy to drive to Sarah's house. They lived on the Quileute reservation along with other Native Americans. I arrived half an hour later and parked my truck outside their house. Both Didyme's and her husband Marcus' cars were missing from the driveway. I wondered where they had gone this late. I was about to knock on the door when I heard a loud crash.

"I will murder that bastard; fucker. Sarah, he said he used protection. But here I am, pregnant with his evil child. Son of a bitch."

"Renee calm down. You can't do anything about it now. But how are you planning to tell Aunt Marie?"

"Oh, I am going to abort this child. Ma can never know or she is going to pull her humanity card on me."

"But are you sur.." Sarah stopped mid phrase as I opened the unlocked door. I was about to burst a vein in my head, hearing my own blood talking trash like that.

"Renee Isabella Swan, you had better move your ass out here if you want anything good to come out of all this." For a second her face paled, and she looked scared. That was a first because neither my husband nor I had ever scolded her, so she had no reason to be scared of me. But right then, I knew my face must been seven shades of red.

Quickly coming to her senses she tried to protest, "Ma, you cannot..."

"Oh, you bet your life I can do what I want. Come with me." She rightly chose to follow me and we drove home in silence.

"So are you going to tell me or do I have to ask? Whose child is it?" I asked calmly as we seated our self on the couch in the living room. Inside I was anything but calm. She took a deep breath and started to explain.

"I met him in the beginning of senior year when I had a fight with Gianna over our basketball game. He was leaning against the wall, watching us. When I was finished arguing with her, I walked out of the basketball court with Sarah. He approached us and introduced himself. He is a handsome one, so it didn't take us long to start hanging out with each other. We fooled around and drank in a group. Sarah had a thing for his brother Billy so we usually went on double dates. A month ago when I told you I was having a sleep over at Sarah's, we were actually at their place. We had a lot to drink and somehow we ended up having sex. I didn't remember anything the next morning, but when I asked him, he said he had used protection. I swear..."

"What is his name?" I asked, knowing full well she had purposely avoided that.

"Charles Black." she mumbled.

* * *

September 13, 1987

"Good morning Mrs. Swan. How are you this lovely September morning?" asked Mrs. Mallory, our next door neighbour. I was gardening when she passed by.

"I am doing well Mrs. Mallory. How is everything with your daughter?"

"Oh yes, Lauren is fine now thanks to you. Her cast will be coming off in a few days."

"That is great news." Her ten-year-old daughter, Lauren had fallen down the stairs when neither she nor her husband had been at home. I happened to hear her when I was passing by and took her to the ER.

"So how are you and your daughter adjusting to Florida? Any news from her husband?" After many heated arguments and a few threats, I convinced my daughter to come with me to Florida and keep the child. I have inherited my parent's home as I was their only child. Although I was beyond angry at her sinful actions, I couldn't force myself and my daughter towards another sin by killing an unborn child. I don't know why, but I felt a strange pull towards it. We had concocted a story that my daughter's husband is in the military and so we had decided to come here and live together as the weather agreed with us more than Forks. I don't know what I was going to say about her 'husband' after the baby's birth, but until then I was sticking to our story.

"We are good Mrs. Mallory and Renee is due soon. We haven't heard from my son-in-law for a while, unfortunately."

"Oh, I hope he is alright. I will see you soon Mrs. Swan. Good day."

"Goodbye Mrs. Mallory."

I walked inside and found Renee on the couch reading a book. "Renee, I think it will be the best if we fabricate a tale that your husband died while on a mission after the baby is born. That way we can continue on peacefully with our life here," I said bringing her attention to me.

"Ok." Ok? Just that? No snarky comment. I have to say I was shocked that she had agreed so quickly. Maybe motherhood was channelling out her emotions. She was adamant to kill the baby when she found out that she was pregnant, but I had talked her out of it by convincing her that I would take care of the child while she resumed her studies. She agreed after much debate. Maybe now after nine months of feeling the baby, she has developed some feelings toward it. Maybe she will decide to be a mother to the child. I can only hope so because I will never allow the involvement of Black in the child's upbringing. The Blacks were the most notorious family in the Pacific West. They were involved in illegal businesses and I had even heard they practiced black magic. But I can't be too sure about the magic as I am not superstitious. Still, I didn't want their involvement with either my daughter or my grandchild.

A groan brought me back to the present, and I saw my daughter holding her stomach for dear life. "Renee! Oh God your water broke! Hold on sweetheart, I am calling an ambulance." I quickly called the hospital and asked for my friend Dr. Sulpicia Volturi to be ready for Renee. She assured me that she was sending an ambulance and I should not worry. I only hoped everything would be alright.

* * *

September 17, 1987

"Marie dear, do you want anything?" asked Shelly Cope who was in charge of the Fork's orphanage and an old friend of mine.

"No Shelly. Thank you so much for all you have done for my granddaughter and me."

"Oh dear, it's nothing. What's her name?"

"Isabella Marie Swan. Shelly, I want to ask one more favor from you. I don't want anyone to know that she is my granddaughter. Even when she is older, I want to tell her that her birth parents dropped her off here. I want her to have nothing to do with them, Shelly. I hope you understand."

"Marie, don't worry; your secret is safe with me. Have you heard from Renee?" I blanched at her name.

"No, and I don't have anything to do with her. As of two days ago when she left her one day old daughter to run away with that bastard, she became dead to me." Shelly looked at me sympathetically and asked me to call her if I needed anything.

Renee was acting strange the day she came home after delivering Isabella. I accepted my defeat in gaining her attention towards her daughter when she refused to even hold her once, stating that she was my burden now. I forgave her for that but never in my life could I forgive her for the letter she left the following day. I had gone into her room to wake her for breakfast and was horrified to find none of her belongings. The closet was open and empty as were the shelves containing her books. All she'd left was a letter stating that she couldn't live without Charles and so she was going back to the reservation. That was the extent of the letter.. Not even a sorry or a greeting for her daughter. I wasn't even this devastated when my husband died. But the wailing of a baby reminded me of my responsibilities and I refused to repeat my mistakes. I had lost my daughter but I wouldn't fail my grandchild. That's how we found our way back to our home town of Forks. I told my best friend Shelly everything, and she offered me a job at her orphanage. It was the safest place for Isabella because neither Renee nor Charles would dare show their faces there in case anyone identified them and reported their whereabouts to me. All I wanted was to keep my Isa safe.

* * *

March 14, 2000

"Isa. Come here fast. Your muma wants you," Shelly's voice penetrated my ears. Muma. Yes, that's what I am for Isa now. She always called me muma and refused to even think about her birth parents. We hadn't heard anything from Renee and Charles, not that I was dying to hear from them. Though, at this moment, I was literally dying. I wanted to be there for my Isa until she was capable of taking care of herself, but my heart was too weak. My death bed was prepared, and I just wanted to see my Isa, one last time.

"Muma!" Isa cried as she entered the small hospital room. I took her hand in my own and looked into her beautiful brown eyes. She was beautiful in every sense. Even if she had half of that monster's blood in her, she was nothing like him. All she received from him were his brown eyes which only heightened her beauty.

"Isa dear, don't cry, sweetheart. You know I hate your tears. They are too precious to waste."

"Muma you can't leave me. I have no one muma. Please don't leave me." My heart went out for her but I could do nothing.

"It's not true, Isa. You have your friend, Alice. Even her parents are nice to you. You have Shelly too and she told me that Alice and her mother are here too. My time has come dear, but promise me, Isa to grow up to be a good person. I love you so much my daughter." I kissed her hand as she brokenly nodded 'yes'.

"I love you too, muma," she whispered sadly.

At that time, I wanted to tell her everything. I thought it would be the best if she knew about everything but as I started to speak, I was just able to choke out "Isa…" and suddenly, I found myself floating. I looked down at the little girl clutching an older woman's body and crying. Behind her, a girl with spiky black hair was consoling her. I wanted so badly to be the one to console that crying angel but I couldn't. I just prayed for her sorrows to end and to have a happy life as everything went black.

* * *

 **So you like it? Please let me know as I can't continue this if my readers are not interested. The story stats show many visitors but here my story is all dry of reviews. Even if you don't like it, review and let me know where I had gone wrong so I can keep that in mind for future.**

 **As for this chapter, you had seen I have taken the liberty to change the surnames. So now Renee is Swan and Charlie is Black. Who would have thought. Lol. Also let me know is it too angsty? Oh! And do you want me to change the rating to M? Or is this ok?**

 **Thank you for reading :)**

 **-K**


	6. Chapter 4: We begin our forever

**A/N** **: Hey guys. I wanted to ask are you guys having problem in reading with all the flashbacks in between? Do you want me clarify this more? Please let me know so I can arrange it accordingly.**

 **Again thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this for me and all her valuable suggestions.**

 **(UPDATED: Jun 9, 2017)**

 **Read it again if you like as I have tried to make it more descriptive. Still if you find some mistakes, forgive me. Again SM owns all characters but this plot is mine.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 4**

 **BELLA**

December 17, 2012

"Ali! Where are my damn flats?" I muttered irately. It's already quarter to ten and I have to be at the office by eleven. Provided, I didn't get late on my very first day. Alice, _aka the-she-devil_ , came through the door, holding something in her hands.

 _"Ugghh_.. I can't find a thing in this black hole. Where the hell are my jeans?" I yelled in frustration, rummaging through the closet, I shared with Ali. I turned around to found her dropping a pair of stiletto on the carpet.

I looked questioningly at her. "Oh come on Bella! You are not going to wear jeans and flats now, are you? Which 25 year olds goes to office in jeans!" She dared me, raising an eyebrow in challenge. Of course, even if the earth is about to end, there should be no excuse for being in accordance to the latest fashion trend as per Alice Brandon. Yeah, she would just say ' _die in fashion_ '. Damn her!

"Grrr.. ok fine give it to me pronto." I accepted my defeat, as there was no point in arguing her, when I was already running out of time. She handed me the stiletto and a charcoal grey skirt with black stockings. I quickly ran to the bathroom to change, pairing them with a forest green top. I said my goodbye to Ali, after she gave me a quick ' _Alice Brandon_ ' makeover. Only Jasper has the guts to tolerate her brand of crazy.

Luckily, I reached the building by 10:55 AM. I made my way to the reception, breathless by running all the way here from outside. I collected the task, Jessica gave me for today and proceeded to go ahead. As I turned to walk towards the designing office, I ran into someone and tripped on the floor. But before I could face plant myself, I was captured in a firm grip.

"I am sorry, I am sorry, I am an idiot. I should look where I was going..."

"Hey! Hey! It's fine Bella. You're not hurt, are you?" My ramblings were cut off by a velvet voice, which had been starring my dreams, since Friday. God! He looked so handsome in his navy button down. From this position, I am in direct line of contact with his _oh-so-lickable_ adam's apple. He is definitely muscular underneath and I can feel it by being in his arms like this. I looked up and my lustful brown met concerned green.

"Are you okay?" He asked again, steadying me on my feet.

"Yea.. yes, I am good. Sorry." I blushed and looked away. He chuckled and released me.

"Someone looking steady this morning, Miss Swan", he teased playfully.

"Yeah of course it's not me, Mr. Cullen," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes. He just laughed, shaking his head.

"So I hope you had a good weekend?"

"Mine was pretty boring. Just moped around the apartment, listening to all the petty ramblings of my roommate. What about you?" I asked curiously, tilting my head a little.

"Hmmm.. Let's see. I met this amazing woman last Friday and haven't seen her till this morning. So the bottom line is I had a tedious weekend but a remarkable morning."

 _Bloody hell!_ Is he trying to flirt or what? Oh definitely ' _or what_ '. I was not that stupid to believe that the likes of him, Edward Cullen can ever flirt with the likes of me, plain old Bella Swan. I ignored his comment and said, "Well good for you then, Sir. Now let me pass because I don't think my boss would like my lack of attention and punctuality on first day itself."

"Oh believe me he'd love it," he countered cockily as I gaped at him open mouthed.

"Catching flies Miss Swan?" He whispered leaning close to my ear as he brushed past me. His lips almost touched my ear and his warm breath made the hair on my nape stand. _God! He smelled good_. The tingles that travelled all the way to my toes, were enough to made my knees buckle. I just stood there for a few seconds, admiring his sexy backside. Yeah, I know I am hopeless.

* * *

My colleagues in the landscape architecture department were all friendly and welcoming. "Hey you _newbie_! Can't you work with your hands fast?" barked Victoria Smith, our Department Head. _What? Exceptions are always there._

"Ignore her. We all do," whispered Angela who was sitting beside me. She was a brown haired, dark eyed beauty with a kind heart. I passed her a smile and continued my task.

Our HOD, Victoria was a standoffish woman probably in her late forties. She has reddish hair with blue eyes and a permanent frown marred her features, as a sole representative of her personality. As soon as she left the office, a collective sigh escaped from everyone which in turn was followed by a round of snickers. My thoughts then drifted to Edward, who I can't seem to figure out. I had to admit that I am attracted to him; but I cannot let myself be this deep in lust for him, just like that. For all I knew he could be a player. Hell! I don't even know whether he was serious in his previous comment or was just goofing. Above all, he's my boss and an attachment like that with him would just make me appear like a slut, sleeping with her boss to gain promotion. That last thought made me stop dead in my line of thoughts. No! I definitely could not allow this to happen. I shook my head and resumed to work.

* * *

February 4, 2012

I was waiting for a cab outside 'The Cullens'. It was raining and there was none to be seen in the distance. I checked my watch and it was half past eight. I left late today, due to some excessive work load. I sighed tucking the hair behind my ear, as I thought about the day. Apart from some scowling barks and snarky comments from Miss Smith, as I was now supposed to call her (I should have known it's only Edward who was on first name basis for me), it had gone trying but good. It had been almost two months since I started working for the Cullens and it was going all smooth, till date. The owner of Cullen Architecture, Mr Carlisle Cullen was a great and knowledgeable person. I met him and his wife Esme Cullen (who was also the co-owner of the firm), a week ago in a meeting regarding our recent project. Esme has a kind personality with a great sense of designs. She had offered to take me under her wing to guide me, which I gladly accepted.

But there was still one issue needed to be addressed, which had been over my mind 24×7. It was about 'The Edward Cullen'. He has constantly occupied my thoughts, no matter how much I tried to deviate my attention. It's not that he had done something questionable to me, but still. Oh, who was I kidding. I was all ready for his ' _questionables_ ', but I didn't felt worthy of his attention and let's not forget the million dollar question, 'What would it make me look like if I get involved with my boss?'. I even had these dreams that potrayed me holding a ' _WHORE_ ' sign. Maybe I was over thinking this, but I couldn't help it.

He always greeted me at the reception in the morning and then followed me to the office, chatting about everything and nothing. We had started taking our lunch with each other, in spite of my resistance initially, and he had even suggested to spend a weekend together, to which I politely declined. He had been constantly dropping hints for us to get together, being not so subtle in his advances and although I can't justify this even to myself, I am on the verge to accept him. Even Angela was suspecting something. Hell! Alice is all over me, daily bickering and talking my ear off about how I should accept him and stop being a whiny bitch, especially since she had seen 'The Edward Cullen' charm the other day, when she came to pick me up from office, to went shopping. But I can't just dive in head first doing that with my boss, regardless we are now on friendly terms. I had to admit, he is sweet and a true gentleman, and now I am just contradicting myself. "Damn him and his charms!" I cursed quietly.

"So what do I owe to be greeted by such a lovely sight Miss Swan?" I was startled by the sudden noise and turned around to look into my intruder's green eyes. Well think of the devil.. _God, his eyes!_

"I was waiting for a cab Mr Cullen." I replied politely.

"I have asked you to call me by my name, haven't I?" He said running a hand through his hair. They were slightly wet from rain and I wondered where had he been.

"Well as far as I remember, I asked the same from you. Miss Swan, really?" I raised an eyebrow in challenge and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fair enough Ma'am," he chuckled. "Come on, I will drop you."

"What? No. I can get a cab, thank you very much." He just shook his head and reached for the files and handbag in my hand. "Hey! What do you think you are doing," I protested.

"As you can see, there is no cab nearby and the weather is not cooperating, it's only fair for you to let me drop you," I looked at him suspiciously. "Come on Bella! It's not like I'll kidnap you or something," he said rolling his eyes.

"Fine." I huffed and handed over my things.

"Hallelujah," he sighed dramatically and snickered, as I smacked his arm playfully. We walked to his car. It was an Aston Martin and I can't tell anything beyond it as I am naive in that matter. Though, even I know how expensive it was.

"Nice car," I complimented as we settled in.

"Thanks. You like cars?" He asked, looking excited at the prospect of me liking cars. Well, for what it's worth, I like him; not that I was going to admit it to him.

"Nope. I don't know much, except it takes you from place A to place B." He looked at me incredulously as if he had just realised, I was one card shy of a full deck and that was enough to set him off about a giving me a 'Cars 101'. I just tuned him out after that, looking out into the rainy Rochester evening.

"So tell me about yourself," he asked suddenly, probably realising my lack of interest on the current topic.

"Well, what do you want to know?" I asked cautiously. I didn't like to talk much about me, because there was nothing interesting and extraordinary.

"Tell me about your family, your hobbies, your likes and dislikes... You don't talk much about your family," he prompted. He looked genuinely curious as he turned his head towards me for a second.

I looked at him, thinking how much to tell. Taking a deep breath, I look at my hands in my lap and started, "So let's see. I am not like your other colleagues, with a traditional picket fence life. I was raised in an orphanage, as I was not worthy of the time of the day of my birth parents. At an age of twelve, I was adopted by a foster care, who didn't give a damn thought about me because I was an introvert. My only rope to be held was my best friend and now my roommate Alice, whom I had met in middle school. We moved to Rochester after we graduated high school in Forks and now, nearly at the age of 25, I shared an apartment with her. I like writing poems in leisure and drawing pictures. I don't dislike much things, except I can't tolerate cats." I sighed, as I ranted all this to him. Now surely he would lose some interest in me and move on.

The car came to a halt suddenly and I jerked forward by the impact.

"Is that what you think?" he asked almost angrily.

"What?" I looked up at him, confused by his actions and was met with green eyes that burn with fury.

"You think you are unworthy?" I looked away from him, shrugging a shoulder, unable to respond verbally. Fingers met my chin and he tilted my face his way. His eyes softened, as he cupped my face in both of his hands. "Isabella Swan, you are worthy of having the universe at your feet and if it's the last thing I have to do in this world, I will make you realise it." His fingers caressed my face lovingly. "I need to be honest here Bella because I can't take being away from you anymore. I liked you from the moment I saw you in my office. Your eyes captivated me. Your presence beguiled me. You are worthy of every happiness and affection, sweetheart and those who can't see it, are in loss of interacting with such a wonderful soul. I know we have known each other for a handful of months, but I feel strongly for you and I wish to call you mine."

With that said, he crashed his lips to mine. I was frozen in shock for a second but then responded eagerly. His lips were soft as silk and the kiss was better than I had dreamed for the past two months. Although, I had dated a few guys and had my fair share of kisses, this was nothing I had ever experienced. With Edward, everything was so much more. His tongue demanded entrance which I happily obliged and soon our tongues were lost in a battle of dominance. All the emotions that were bottled up within us, came gushing out at once. I reached for his hair but as I gripped them, he pulled away. "I'm sorry. I swear I don't know what has gotten into me. I just...," he said baffled, running a hand through his hair. Oh, how I love seeing him all sweet and nervous. "I.. I apologize..."

"Its okay," I blurted out cutting off his apology.

"I.. I like you too." I confessed softly, closing my eyes as my cheeks heated.

"You do?" he asked. I opened my eyes and saw his eyes twinkling like that of a kid, who had just gotten his Christmas present.

I nodded but expressed my concern, "I do, but I don't know how we are going to make it work, with you being my boss..." I trailed off, shaking my head.

"Oh baby, that's nothing to worry about. We have no policy against dating within the staff," he stated as a fact, starting the car. "Besides, you are a gem to behold darling and I don't care what anyone has to say about it, except us. You like me, I like you, we wanna be together, end of the story. It's none of any other's fucking, god damn business. Let them rot in hell, for fuck's sake." I gawked at him, as I had never heard him cuss like that. I had to admit, it's sexy as hell and it made me press my thighs together for some relief, as my core was already throbbing due to the after effects of the kiss.

"And remember, if you agree to be mine, then believe me m'lady I promise, you can never ever get rid of me until you orders me away. Oh and for the record I am allergic to cats," he winked at me. I just laughed at his antics, remembering my mention of hating cats and falling all the more for him at his vow. We held hands the entire way to my apartment, looking forward to begin our next chapter in life.

* * *

Little did I know that it would be the first of the many promises, he would fail to complete.

* * *

 **Ok now before asking you about the chapter, I would like to share something. As I am new to this fantasy world, I have asked my favourite author 'Drotuno' to help me in setting my story appropriately. I haven't expected her to reply but it was so sweet of her to take some time and read this. Her valuable suggestions are really worthy and I will try to follow them for coming chapters. She is a wonderful writer and if you haven't checked her work yet, please do. Seriously, leave my story but do check her work. She is fabulous.**

 **Thanks to all those who favourited, followed, read or reviewed my story. So that was some good natured chapter after the angsty ones.** **What do you say? It was quite bigger, wasn't it? And what do you think about 'The Edward Cullen '? (*snickers*) Oh! And I was thinking more and more about changing the rating to M. You know the reasons. Do anyone have objections? I would love to hear from you.**

 **Thank you for reading :)**

 **-K**


	7. Chapter 5: When you're gone

**A/N : Hello readers. So as promised, here is the next chapter. A huge THANKS to my wonderful beta EdwardsFirstKiss. She has agreed to pre read and check even the earlier chapters for errors (which I know are many, and it is really nice of her to cope with my silly ass mistakes). Awesome, isn't she? So I guess I will be posting the edited version soon. If you still find any mistakes, it's all on me as I had again added some small things after she had edited it. I know I am inane. Please forgive me for any errors. Sorry for my usually big author's notes but I have a habit of babbling shit. Oopss! :p**

 **Ok! I am going. Enjoy ;)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 5**

 **BELLA**

December 21, 2016

I made my way to my car as I finished for the day. The ground was covered in snow and the weather was getting very cold. I pulled my coat more tightly around myself, walking through the almost deserted parking lot. It was only four in the afternoon but there wasn't much for me to do in the office. So I'd decided to leave the work earlier than usual. The meeting had gone surprisingly well, without me having any panic attacks. Well, who was I kidding? I was a mess inside, but now, I have to maintain my facade. We have a six-month plan on our hands for this project. Jasper had some brilliant ideas up his sleeve. I would be going to Seventh Street on January 2nd with Jazz, Em and maybe the girls, too. I still wasn't sure if I had made the right choice and how I was going to have to face it. I had pushed it into the back of my mind for now and would not consider it until its utmost necessary. We were not supposed to return to work until January 5th being it's the holidays. I don't know whether to be happy or sad about this as I had spent the past two Christmases and New Year's alone in my apartment. I sighed as I reached my car; a white Mercedes. I don't know much about cars and had bought it on Alice's insistence almost three years ago. I unlocked the door, got in and started the car. The engine purred as I drove past the snow covered streets of Rochester.

I reached my apartment and went to my room to change clothes after turning on the heat. I wasn't hungry, so I decided to work on the outlines of our current project. I was so immersed in work that I almost didn't hear the knock on the front door. I looked up at the clock and saw that it was just after eight. Wondering who might be here at this time of the night, I stood up to open the door.

"Surprise!" cheered Alice. Ali, Jazz, Em and Rose - all were standing grinning at me through my door.

"What are you guys doing here?" I looked at them gobsmacked.

"Well clear the way ma'am and let us in." Jazz demanded, already pushing past me with boxes of, I guess, pizzas in his hands.

"But why are you here this late?" I asked closing the door and walking behind them.

"Oh we're sorry - Were you sleeping old lady?" Rose countered raising an eyebrow at me. I just rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"Come on Bellie piiee, don't ruin the fun." I scowled at Em's frustrating moniker, reserved especially for me, as he pouted.

"Ok. Ok. But what's the occasion?" I asked, finally looking at them solemnly.

"Listen sweetie, we just wanted to celebrate the commencement of your new project. We all know how hard it has been for you and we can't even come close to describe how proud of you, we are." Ali said sincerely. Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back and just offered her a timid smile.

"Ok. Let me just get a bottle of red wine." I announced, starting towards it.

"Boo hoo Bellie Bear. We are not having that today," bellowed Em holding two bottles of _Jack Daniels_. My eyes widened, but I gave up fighting, seeing the evil gleam they all had in their eyes.

"Well I guess I am in as long as you stop calling me that nonsense, Em." He just laughed goofily as I scowled at him, yet again.

We ended up in my small living room, eating pizza and drinking, chatting about everything and nothing. It was the best time I had had in over two years, the last being my engagement. I stopped myself at that thought and focused on the people in front of me. Alice and Jasper were sprawled on the loveseat, with Alice under Jasper's arm. Rose was sitting on the couch beside me, her hands buried deep in Em's hair, who was sitting on the floor between her legs. They were all beautiful souls and deserved each other. Alice has spiky black hair with hazel eyes and a bubbly personality. She's short in height with beautiful fairy skin tone. Rosalie has dark blonde hair, complimenting her blue eyes and a figure that was unusually hot for a lawyer. Jasper has similar hair color like his sister but his eyes were a shade lighter than hers. He has a charming personality that compliments his wife's. Em's the boy in a man's body.. He's burly and muscular with curly black hair that sets off his grey eyes. We're all thick as thieves and had bonded well over the past few years, we have known each other. They have all supported me over this time by being my rock and have tried hard to break down my walls. I feel guilty thinking how I had excluded them from my life during that dark period. However, I thanked the higher powers that be for them every day because without them. I would have been nothing but a shell of myself. _Huh, like you still aren't!_ My subconscious taunted. _Well you know what I mean,_ I argued frustrated. _Yeah, say whatever will make you sleep at night_. Inner me rolled her eyes.

"So will you come?" Rose interrupted the verbal lashings I was about to give to _Inner_ me.

"I am sorry what?" I turned towards her slightly.

"I asked, will you come and join us on Christmas Eve? We are going to my uncle's inn to celebrate Christmas and New Year's. I want to plan my wedding which is in February, so we can discuss things and then we can leave on January 2nd for Seventh Street."

"I.. I think I can join you guys on the 2nd itself. You know with all the work I have to do..."

Rosalie cut me off mid-sentence, "Don't do this Bella. I would really like you to help me plan everything, with you and Ali being my bridesmaids and all. I know you are stalling so you can drown yourself in your grief. We know why you haven't celebrated Christmas and New Year's these past two years because it's that time of the year when you just feel comatose. But it's not the end Bella..."

"Rose. Please.." Ali tried to reason with her as I sat frozen at her words. By now everyone was on their feet, except me, standing in my small living room.

"No Ali. She needs to listen." Rose said, appearing furious. "Two years Bella. Two god damn years, we have waited for you each and every day to come out of this funk you have been in. Seeing you in the bar that day we were all ecstatic. That finally you had decided to move on. You are family Bella. We are all a family." She came to stand in front of me, her eyes softening infinitesimally and put her hands on my shoulders. "What happened with Edw... _him,_ " she corrected as I flinched, "can't be changed. You can't wince every time someone mentions his name. You have to move on B. MOVE THE FUCK ON," she emphasised. "You are still wearing his ring on your finger but you know that will not change anything. He is not coming back B. He has gone. Vanished. Disappeared from this planet. You yourself were there when that happened. We, your friends are who you are left with. There are people out there who have no one to care for them. But you have us and I'm sorry to say this, but you are taking us for granted. We care about you Bella. You can't push us away. I want you with me in every aspect of my wedding. This may seem selfish to say and maybe you will hate me for what I said today but Bella, you are my sister. Not in blood but in soul. I haven't known you as long as Ali but I respect and love you. That's why I can't see you rotting away here day after day." She said as tears start falling from her eyes.

There was a haunting silence in the room. My heart was in my throat with the guilt I feel towards them. "I am sorry." I whispered as everybody looked at me with solemn and sympathetic eyes. "I didn't know I was doing this to you guys..."

"Bella. No sweetie it's not your fault..."

"I know Ali." I interrupted her "But Rose is right. I can't keep dwelling on my past. I will come with you guys. And I could never hate you Rose. Not a single one of you. I can't even bring myself to hate him for leaving me and breaking all of his promises." My breath hitched mentioning him while they all looked at me with love and concern. I stood, my legs shaking as I faced a teary Rose. Beautiful Rosalie. She shouldn't have tears in her eyes ever. None of them should. Tears are meant for the cursed ones like me. I took a deep breath, looking into her eyes. "But I can't part with his ring, Rose. Becau.." I hiccupped "Because... it is the only symbol of our love I have left; the only proof that he isn't a figment of my imagination. I had sold our apartment, donated his clothes and returned the car and his other belongings to his mother. I had even given his mother the gifts he had given me to do whatever she thinks would be best. I don't know if it makes me a bad person to just throw away our love like that but... I.. I can't just throw his ring away guys. It's the only thing he had left for me. To feel him near me. And.. and I needed that to continue my life. I..I..." And that's when for the first time in two years my walls crumbled in front of my friends and my mask of calmness fell away. I sobbed hysterically, unable to complete my sentence, as I dropped to the floor. Ali and Rose followed suit, grabbing me in their arms while they cried with me. I hadn't shed a tear in front of them since the day he had left us. I adamantly refused to think the word _'died'_ as it makes this real all over again. Even Jazz and Em have tears in their eyes as they sat beside us on the floor. The calm Jasper. The boisterous Em. The fierce feline-like Rose and the chirpy Ali. Seeing all of these strong people on their knees around me brought another round of sobs.

That evening for the first time in two years, they all mourned for the loss of a dear friend, clinging to each other while I mourned for the only happiness I had felt in my life which had been brutally ripped apart from me. Oh, how can I ever get over such a beautiful thing I once had with him? How I longed to be wrapped in his arms again. For him to tell me everything will be alright. To tell me he's here forever for me. Forever mine. _Forever Yours_ , he had said. But now he's gone. I'm only left with his memories, always ripping my chest apart. Gone was the man I loved more than my life.

My life, my love, my soul.

My _Edward_.

* * *

 **How was it? Good, bad, no comments? Too much angst? Well that was the first major angst for me, so how was it? I guess everyone has figured out by now, where Edward is. Don't hate me after this. Trust me, all will be clear in good time. And I love Edward too much... Just saying ;)**

 **None of you answered my queries about rating this to M. So I think you all are good with it. Therefore I will be changing the rating to M soon. Let me hear your views, I love them :) Next chapter will be up soon.**

 **TY**

 **-K**


	8. Chapter 6: When I became yours

**A/N : Hello once again, dear readers. PLEASE READ.. I just wanted to clarify once again that this story is HEA. I don't want to give too much away and ruin the suspense. I had received a PM regarding this; so I just wanted to ask you all to be patient and trust me. I love my lead characters too much. Also we are very close to the prologue now. Oh, and please mind the dates.**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss once again for editing this and for all her suggestions. I feel really grateful. This revolving around flashbacks and present is a bit cumbersome but I hope you are not having problems keeping up with it. Do tell.**

 **All mistakes and this plot is mine while our lovely characters are all from SM.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6**

 **BELLA**

October 23, 2014

"Edward! Just gimme the damn papers idiot,"I growled at my ass of a boyfriend.

"Not until you forgive me," he huffed, breathless from running around our apartment.

"You know you are just adding on to the pile of your mistakes and making me angrier," I said reaching for the papers on the project I am currently working on, from his hands across the sofa. His face paled as he handed me the papers back.

"Love, please I am so sorry. I swear it will not happen again." I just give him my _not-to-mess-with-me_ look and started walking towards our home office. Though inside, I melt just a little seeing his cuteness. I was surprised when he didn't follow me but closed the door, anyway. We had been dating for almost two years and life had been nothing short of blissful. He was everything I wanted and something I didn't even know I wanted in my better half. I had moved into his apartment six months after we started dating. I still remembered his words that day.

" _ **I fucking love you with all of my heart Isabella Swan**_ _ **and know there is no one**_ _ **else for me. I promise to be with**_ _ **you forever until our last breath**_ _ **and I want to be in every fucking chapter**_ _ **of your life. So I think it would be**_ _ **best to start our new chapter by**_ _ **moving in together as my bed**_ _ **misses you every night and my apartment seems empty as hell without you in it."**_

His cheesiness along with some slight swearing was cute and sweet enough for me to accept his proposal. _God knows he can't seem to get through an entire speech without cussing in between._ But currently I am over the top angry with him. However, that didn't change the fact about how much I love him. We started officially dating a week after that day in his car when he had dropped me at my apartment. It was after I had explained to him my dreams in which I was _holding a 'WHORE' sign, which_ he had brushed out of my mind by kissing me into oblivion. We were unable to deny the pull towards each other. He had been patient with me but equally flirting that week until I finally gave in and shared my concerns with him. My friends were happy for me but Rosalie was just over the moon and it wasn't only because of me and my Edward. When we were working for a project at _'Samantha's Place'_ , Edward had introduced me to the firm's construction crew. The head of the crew was Edward's best friend, Emmett McCarty. He was such a sweet guy and had adorable dimples in which Rose fell in love with at our get together, one night at _'Demoz'_. The rest is history. Life is just perfect for all of us. Ali and Jazz were married yesterday and now on their way to Paris for their honeymoon.

The wedding was where my argument began with the man outside my study. He had playfully smashed my face with cake during dinner yesterday _(which was not so playful, if you ask me)._ Also if that wasn't enough, I had found him talking to a group a girls when I exited the restroom after washing my face; clearly flirting with my man. I know it's not his fault for being illegally handsome but my temper flared as I saw one of them touching his forearm, _my forearm,_ and laughing. Maybe it was the drinks I had consumed or being frustrated over Edward smashing cake in my face, but I made my way over to the bloody _arm-grabber_ blonde bitch, determined. I dragged her away from him by her hair, calling her every nasty name I had learned from Edward. When she protested, I may or may not have thrown punches which earned me a whistling cheer from Rose and a howl from Em. I don't know how but Edward managed to separate us. And if that still wasn't _enough,_ he just yelled at me for my actions and turned to ask the bitch if she was okay. I was so mad that I walked straight to Ali and after apologizing for my actions (which she dismissed saying she would have done the same thing), I hugged her and Jazz, wished them the best and walked to the car. Edward was standing beside it looking murderous but so edible. ' _What? You_ _doofus_ _, you forgot you were angry with him', Inner me had scolded. 'Oh, fuck off. I can think whatever I want. It's not like I am telling that to him', I had countered as Inner just rolled her eyes._

I had glared at the _Adonis_ in front of me, getting into the passenger seat, which wiped the anger from his face.

"Look Bella, I know I shouldn't have smashed the cake in your face and for that I apologize, but that didn't justify your action towards Jane," he had said starting the car, dragging a hand nervously through his hair.

"Oh, so the bitch has a name. I am sorry, Mr. Cullen if I hurt your precious Jane," I muttered sarcastically.

"Bella you know that's not why I am mad. She could have pressed charges. And you could have hurt yourself badly."

"Oh so now Mr. Cullen cares about me? How lucky of me." I knew I was being bitchy but I blamed the drinks. He rightly chose not to say anything after that and we drove quietly away.

A quiet knock on my door brought me out my musings. I had been working for an hour. _Maybe I should forgive him, not that it's his fault._ I stood up and walked to open the door seeing a small purple teddy bear with a note tucked on it. I picked it up and touched its soft ears. I pulled out note which asked me to come outside the apartment. I looked at it suspiciously but walked to the apartment door anyway ruffling the teddy's soft fur on the way. A bunch of beautiful white roses greeted me as I opened the door. I picked them up with a smile on my face already forgiving my man. Another note was tucked into them. It said to come to the park downstairs. I huffed out a laugh thinking about all the trouble he had gone through. _My sweet man_. I went downstairs and was shocked to see that the pavement that led from the apartment to the park was covered in beautiful red roses lined by calla lilies on either side. My heart melted as I walked over them and saw him standing at the entrance of the park. I ran to him and threw myself in his arms, apologizing for being rude as tears threatened to drop from my eyes. He just hushed me and apologized himself, which I quickly accepted. We broke apart with smiles on our faces but as I started pulling him back to the apartment, he told me to wait. He raked his hand through his hair, a gesture which indicated he was nervous. I looked at him questioningly as he took a deep breath and pointed towards the evening sky. I looked up but found nothing. I was about to turn and ask him what's the matter when fireworks filled the sky. I had this huge smile on my face and my heart was just about burst with happiness and love when a booming sound startled me. I looked dumbfounded as the jet started forming smoke clouds in the air and after a few seconds letters started to appear.

 _ **MARRY ME**_

I looked where Edward was standing and I swear my jaw hit the ground when I saw him on one knee with a velvet box in his hand.

"I have waited what seems like forever for a sunshine like you to walk into my world. I didn't even know someone as perfect and beautiful existed until I saw you standing in my office that fateful day. I had prepared a whole speech and wanted to propose to you yesterday after Ali and Jazz left for their honeymoon. But that didn't turn out quite right." He chuckled, but I was too flabbergasted to say or express anything. "You my love looked so beautiful and gorgeous that all others paled in comparison. When I saw Ali walked towards Jazz wearing her white bridal dress, I wanted nothing more but to take off with you, find a priest and tie ourselves together in every way. It was not helping either that the ring was burning a hole in my pocket. I know there will never be another for me and if you accept my proposal today that means there will be no other for you too. I love you so much Isabella Swan that my heart hurts. I promise there will never be a single day you will have to be deprived of my love. I promise to be there for you whether you are happy, sad, angry or coming to the point of murdering me in a fit of madness. Will you put me out of my misery and do me the honor of marrying me?" I was a sobbing mess as I threw myself in his arms and kissed him all over his face, saying 'yes' and 'I love you too' over and over. He blushed when he slid the ring on my finger. It has an oval cut diamond embedded with small diamonds around it in a silver band. I lifted my hand to examine the ring as it shone during the beautiful sunset.

"Did you notice that you didn't use one single curse word in your speech?" He just chuckled, shaking his head. "Well that's progress for our CEO," I elbowed him playfully.

"Can you promise me something?" He asked as we walked hand in hand towards our apartment.

"Anything," I smiled at him.

"Promise me you will never part with your ring, ever. No matter what happens," he asked kissing my ring finger.

"I promise," I said standing on my tiptoes to capture his lips. _Silly man. Like I could ever part from something that belonged to him._

* * *

December 22, 2016

It was about two in the morning when we finally decided to call it a night. Rose and Em took the guestroom while Jazz crashed on the couch in the living room. Ali decided to sleep with me in my room to offer some comfort. Everybody was asleep when I finally gave up my conquest to be conquered by sleep and stepped out of the bedroom. I checked the clock, and it was half past three in the morning.

I walked stealthily into my study and opened the one door I hadn't opened in almost eighteen months. I shut the door behind me and looked around the space. There was ample dust due to the lack of care-taking. It was a spare room or you can call it a secret room as only I know about it. A green couch lay in front of a round table and the shelves beside the couch were lined with several photo albums. I lied to my friends when I said that the ring was the only thing I had kept of him. These albums cover, the memories that we had lived together that I cannot bring myself to part with. Therefore as soon as I moved into this apartment two months after he had left, I had put all of them in here. I had spent most of my time in those following four months in this very room but had finally decided to put a stop to it and started to immerse myself in work.

I opened one of my favorite albums which held pictures of our trip to Paris. We had gone to take care of a project, two months prior to our engagement. We looked blissful and so much in love. He had this goofy grin on his face when he wiped the ice cream from his finger to my nose. He had a habit of smashing sticky food on my face. He had said that I ' _looked cute'._ I smiled at that thought. In the picture, I was scowling but inside my heart was soaring with love for him. We enjoyed Paris so much that we had recommended it to Ali and Jazz for their honeymoon. That was the last trip we went on together. I still remember his words when he promised me that we would come back to Paris someday when we were old and grey. I sat on the couch with the album in my hands recalling all our happy memories along with his broken promises as sleep finally engulfed me in its peaceful arms.

 _"If you agree to be mine, then believe me_ _m'lady_ _I promise, you can never ever get rid of me, until you order me away."_

 _"I promise to give you every damn happiness in this world my Bella."_

 _"That girl meant nothing sweetheart. I am forever yours, I promise."_

 _"I don't know how to say this but Isabella Swan... I... I have fallen in love with you. Shit. Damn. Hell. Fuck... I am an idiot. I planned to say that more creatively... Oh, Fuck that. I love you so much Bella. I promise that my love for you will never recede but will only grow in the years to come."_

 _"Bella, I swear if another fucking tear falls from your god damn eyes, then so help me I am going to knock the shit out of that asshole bastard who is responsible for this. You are my girl, my woman and no one messes with what's mine._ _"_

 _"I promise to be with you forever until our last breath and I want to be in every chapter of your life. So, I think it would be best to start our new chapter by moving in together."_

 _"You liked it here in Paris? Then my love, I promise we will come back whenever you want. Hell! I will buy us a place here. And maybe this will be where we will have our home with a white picket fence; we'll be old and grey with you sitting in a chair struggling to eat with your false teeth while I will be looking as hot and sexy as ever."_

 _"I promise there will never be a fucking single day in which you are deprived of my love."_

 _"I promise to be there for you whether you are happy, sad, angry or coming to the point of murdering me in a fit of madness."_

 _"I promise to be there forever..."_

 _"I promise to love you forever..."_

 _"We will always be together, baby. You have nothing to worry..."_

 _"I will always be there for you whenever you need me..._ _._ _Forever Yours..._ _"_

* * *

 **So it's my birthday today and that was my treat for you all (It's Jun 12 where I am). I am officially 19 and this will be the last of my teenage years. Yeahhh! :)**

 **What do you say? Did you like Edward's proposal? Was it too cheesy? God, I am a hopeless romantic. And as you probably have noticed by now, I have changed the rating to M. For language? Maybe lemons? Who knows... Don't worry, we will be getting over the angst soon.**

 **I hadn't cursed in my life but as you can see my Edward is quite good at that. Maybe I should learn from him. Anyone else wanna join me in 'Edward Cullen's Swearing School'? LOL. Share your views readers. As much as I love to babble, I have been told that I am a good listener :)**

 **Thanks for reading, following, reviewing or _favoriting_ this story.**

 **-K**


	9. Chapter 7: Trying for a Fresh Start

**A/N:** **Holla readers. Hope you all are good. Here is the next chapter and it is longer than usual. A big THANKS to EdwardsFirstKiss for putting up with my silly mistakes and her suggestions. All twilight characters belong to SM while this plot is all mine.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7**

 **BELLA**

December 22, 2016

"Bella, where the hell are you?" A loud, shrill voice entered my ears.

"Maybe she's gone for a walk." Another voice suggested; this one slightly heavier than the previous one.

"She's never gone for one, Jazz. Why would she decide to go today!" exclaimed the first voice, clearly anxious.

"It was because of me. I pushed her too far yesterday." Another voice spoke, pervaded with sadness.

"It wasn't you Rose. She must be here. Bella doesn't do these sorts of things."

My brain registered that my name had been spoken again, as I rose from my slumber. My muscles were stiff from sleeping so long on the couch. I stretched a little and stood up to open the door of the spare room. I walked into my study and saw the clock on my desk showed thirty minutes past ten in the morning. I made my way outside and was met with worried glances. Rosalie noticed me first and her eyes widened.

"Oh Bella, you are okay! I am so sorry about yesterday. I was in a drunken stupor and had forgotten what kind of word vomit I was spewing." Rose sobbed on my shoulder, hugging me for dear life.

"Hey! It's okay Rose." I patted her awkwardly on the head. Well let's say, Rose was not one of your crying Barbie's. She was strong and fierce. So seeing her cry always seemed weird to me.

"You didn't say anything wrong and I am not angry. I was just in my study working on something and fell asleep." I explained, as she released me.

"Oh! I forgot to check in the study." Em mumbled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"I asked you to check and you said she wasn't there!" exclaimed Jazz.

"Umm… I sort of forgot that, I think... But I checked in the kitchen." He raised his hands in surrender when three pair of eyes glared at him.

A giggle involuntarily burst out of me, seeing the look on their faces. Rose smiled my way and said, "Bella, I am really sorry. It wasn't my place to talk to you like..."

"Shut it Rose. Of course it was your place. It _is_ your place." I emphasized. "You guys are the only family I have as Rose rightly pointed out last night. I was just acting like a bitch, but not now. You were right. I have to move on," I declared sincerely.

"Oh Bells you are so brave. Don't worry; you will find happiness again." Ali said engulfing me in a hug.

Funny. I didn't believe her.

* * *

The next morning we all got into our cars to leave for Rose's uncle's inn in Syracuse. It was almost a two hour drive from my apartment to _The Hales_. I was riding with Ali and Jazz in Jasper's BMW while Rose and Em were taking Em's SUV.

I wasn't allowed to take my car; they said it was to save fuel. Somewhere in my mind though, I think they were just afraid of me running away and bailing on them. I let out a sigh at that thought. _So much for trusting me!_

"Tired?" asked Alice, turning back from the passenger seat to look at me.

"No. Just thinking through some things." I replied giving her a soft smile.

"You think too much Bella. We are going to the inn to have some fun. So suck it up and lift up your spirits." She chided.

I huffed out a laugh and said, "Scout's honor," giving her a salute, dramatically. She just rolled her eyes as Jasper snorted.

"Are you laughing at me, Jazzy?" Ali asked, inspecting her nails for effect.

"Who me? Why would you say that, darling? I was just coughing," he defended seriously. Ali narrowed her eyes at him and that was all it took for both Jazz and me to burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Okay baby, I am sorry. You are just too cute to play with." Jazz said smiling lovingly at her.

"Yup. I second that." I added. She just stuck her tongue out at us as we both snickered.

We reached _The Hales_ around half past eleven in the morning. The four story building appeared to be made of wood but actually was all brick, painted in a wooden texture. It was separated by brick walls on either side from the neighbourhood. The entrance was an iron gate with a dome-shaped arch above it. We walked inside and my eyes widened at seeing the interior. This place looked like a Victorian style manor. The interior was rich and exciting. There were decorative plaster cornices, intricately patterned ceiling friezes and medallions. There were wonderfully turned balustrades supporting the stair railing, reminding me of a grand entrance. There were inlayed wood patterns and rich carpets as well.

"Wow! This place has changed a lot since the last time I came here." Em commented, as we made our way to the reception desk.

"When did you last come here?" I wondered, still engrossed in examining the masterpiece in front of me. _Edward would have drooled over this place._ I stiffened on that last thought.

"We stayed here last summer. We asked you to come with us, don't you remember?" Rose asked.

"I think... yeah, you said that you were going on a mini vacation. I was... I was busy that time." I stammered, remembering the lame excuses I had given them so that they'd leave me alone to wallow in my misery.

"That was when we met uncle Eleazar for the first time. He has such a jovial personality, almost gregarious." Alice piped in.

I nodded and smiled her way. We were greeted by a strawberry blonde woman at the reception desk who gave us the keys to our rooms. Ali and Jazz would be staying in the room next to mine on the first floor while Rose and Em were on the second floor. There were a total of 25 rooms. The atmosphere was quiet and refreshing. I think I had made the right decision to come here.

We separated when we reached our respective rooms with a schedule of meeting back up in an hour for sight-seeing. I unlocked the door to my room and stepped in. The first thing I noticed was a window seat, just opposite to the bathroom door. I walked to the window and looked outside. The weather was cold and there was snow on the ground, probably from the previous night. Some children were playing making snowmen and fighting with snowballs. But I didn't like snow. It was because of snow that I feel so lonely, even with all of my friends around. A lone tear dropped from my eye but I quickly wiped it off and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

* * *

I reached the basement where we had all agreed to meet for lunch. The basement was a small restaurant serving guests of the inn. There was a fireplace in the middle surrounded by tables and chairs. I spotted Rose and Ali sitting at one of the tables and walked over to them.

"Finally! I thought you had fallen asleep and wouldn't be joining us. Why are you so late?" Rose smiled as I seated.

"I lost track of the time. By the way, where are Em and Jazz?" I asked changing the subject.

"They went to order food. Unlike some, I knew that you'd come and so I ordered for you." Ali said sarcastically, narrowing her eyes at Rose. I looked at the two of them, shooting glares at each other. I was about to ask what was it about as someone ruffled my hair.

"Woohoo Bellsie! What's up," Em shouted which earned him glares and whispers from the adjacent tables.

"You call me that again and I am going to ask Rose to put you in a baby pink tuxedo for your wedding." His face paled immediately.

"You wouldn't!" He countered fearfully.

"Try me." I raised an eyebrow in challenge as others snickered. A nod from Rose silenced him.

"So, our choices are Mexican, Italian or Chinese. We also have wine to dine in style," Jazz said holding up a bottle. "This place is cool. We have everything here." He added excitedly rubbing his hands together.

"Well a wise one has rightly said, 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach'," Alice giggled.

"Mature people like us don't believe myths like that Ali. Stop acting like a child and grow up. Some matters need to be dealt with by putting your emotions aside," Rose snarked. Her off-conversation comment reminded me of their cold attitude towards each other.

"Stop it. Will you tell me why you both are acting like insolent children?" I asked frustrated. They simply ignored me and picked up their knives and forks to eat. I looked at Em and Jazz for some clarification but they too avoided me.

"Fine. I am not hungry and am going to my room. When you decide to include me in your conversations then you know where to find me." With that I left the table, ignoring the chorus of 'Bella' and 'Bells' that followed my departure.

* * *

I locked the door behind me and walked to my bed to lie down. It had been two days since our arrival at _The Hales_ but there was still an air of tension surrounding our group. I turned on my stomach and buried my face in the pillow. It was after two in the afternoon and Christmas carols were flowing through the entire building. It was the third Christmas I was spending without _him_. But what pained me more was the inane _cold war_ between Rose and Ali. I still didn't know the gory details of why they seemed to be mad at each other. After I had left the basement that afternoon, two days ago, Jasper had come to me. He met me halfway to my room and explained that Alice and Rose had had a small fight regarding latest fashion trends. _Like I am an idiot._ I didn't believe him and told him the same. He just said that they'll tell me themselves about it and not to worry. I had half-heartedly agreed and went back to lunch. But none of them opened up to me. It was like they were hiding a secret and didn't want to include me. Ali and Rose didn't fight again in front of me. But, neither had they talked like they used to before this inane _cold war_.

I turned on my back and looked up to the ceiling. All in all my Christmas had gone like the previous two Christmases in my apartment. We had exchanged our gifts in the morning but there was no enthusiasm. I had given Jazz a multi-time zone watch to keep up with his clients in various countries and states. Emmett received a brown leather jacket while I had presented Rose with her favorite brand of perfume. I had given Alice a pair of high-heeled boots that she had admired on a TV show. I received a platinum charm bracelet from Jazz, an I-pod from Em, a pair each of stilettos and boots from Rose and a hair dryer from Ali ( _as mine had 'died' a couple of months ago_ ). The gifts were good but the usual love and warmth was missing. We had exchanged pleasantries after a Christmas feast and afterward went to our respective rooms to rest.

But I was used to this; even worse than this. After Mrs. Marie's death, all my Christmases at the Newton's were just like any other day; lonely. I wasn't allowed to go to Alice's place. Even when the Brandon's invited me, Mrs. Newton found excuses for making me stay home. I don't know what kind of sadistic pleasure she got from doing that. Still, Alice would slip some gifts to me from her and other necessities from her mother at school. I was only able to defy the Newton's once, when I had to move to Rochester. That had been one hell of a fight, but there wasn't much they could had done, with me being almost eighteen. The only pleasant memories I had of Christmas were the ones spent with Edward. His name like always brought tears to my eyes. I again turned on my stomach and cried, burying my face in the pillow.

The knock on my door brought me out of my sleep. I looked to the clock on the nightstand and it was six in the evening. _Wow. I slept that long!_ I rubbed my eyes and stood up to open the door after straightening my clothes. I unlocked the door and found four people standing in Santa's clothes.

"HoHoHo, young lady. We are gathered here today to offer you our cool company as your friends have been asses to you." I recognized Jasper's voice.

"So be a good girl and let us in. Otherwise you'll be getting coal as your present next Christmas." That was Emmett's voice. They all came in with Rosalie and Alice, umm..., _Santa-dressed_ Rose and Ali carrying a big box. They put the box on the table opposite to the bed.

"So what do you wish for sweet pea," Ali asked smiling. I laughed at their antics shaking my head.

"First of all pull out your beards. They're really weird and creepy." They obeyed quickly taking them off. "Good. Now sit down and start explaining."

"Explain what?" Rose asked innocently. I narrowed my eyes at her. "Ok. Ok. Alice is going to explain."

"What? Me? No. No. Ummm... Emmett. He knows what to say, don't you Emmie Bear." She pouted, batting her eyelashes at him.

Em startled at that. "Oh. Right. I know what to say... but... I think Jasper knows the right way to tell you," he said quickly.

"Grr... ok fine. Bella, let's sit down first," Jasper commanded. I sat on the bed with Rose and Ali on either side of me while Em and Jazz occupied the couch.

Jasper took a long breath and started, "First, I want to apologize for our asinine behaviour. We had been so unfair to you. We were the ones to convince you to come here, so it was our responsibility to give you our pleasant company."

"It's alright Jazz. I am not angry. I just wanted to know the reason behind the fight between Ali and Rose." I smiled at him.

"That's nice of you Bella. But I think you are not going to like what I am about to tell you. Just keep in mind that it was never our intention to hurt you; we just wanted to help. Three days ago when we sort of partied at your apartment, we had been discussing methods to bring you out of your depression. The reason behind the fight was because of differing opinions about how to go about it. Rosalie and I wanted to push you into accepting Edward's death while Alice and Emmett wanted to try something smoother. The conversation you had with Rose that day was a plan to see how you would react. Rose and I agreed that it had gone well. Even Em agreed but Alice didn't want that. She said that she can't see you hurting and we should give you more time to come out of yourself. But you are already are coming out, Bella. Seeing you laughing a real laugh in my car on our way here, was... you don't even know how good that felt. Here," he said pointing at his heart. "I felt it here. You are like my sister Bella. I care for you as much as I care for Rose and Ali. We love you and wanted to help. But Alice didn't agree with that either. She wanted to do this as painlessly for you as she could. That's when Rose's temper flared and she gave Alice a piece of her mind, two days before at the restaurant. We didn't want it to get to you but we failed. We are the worst friends and I am sorry for that."

Maybe it was because I had cried earlier before sleeping and all my tears had dried up, but I didn't feel any emotions bubbling up inside of me at his speech. I just sat there stunned, not even wincing at Edward's name. All I felt now was immense love for the people in this room. I smiled at them and said, "I understand all of it, Jasper. Thank you all for doing this. I just didn't like the fact that you all had fought. I assure you all, that I am fine now and am ready to continue my life properly. _Edward_ would have wanted the same for me. I have realized that he is not going to come back. He died, two years ago, in that accident at _Seventh Street_. I will always love him but I can't hang onto him my entire life. This conversation seems like déjà vu, guys." I chuckled seeing their faces. They all were looking at me with rapt attention .

"Guys!" I said loudly. That brought them back to _earth_ causing me to giggle again.

"Ahem. So what you are saying is that you are not angry with us?" Rose asked.

"Oh Rose was that the only thing that you heard? She said _his_ name!" Ali exclaimed.

"And she giggled. Fucking giggled." Em said, still watching me attentively with his chin resting on the back of his palms.

"And she said _Seventh Street._ " Jasper added _._

"If you all have finished your examination of _Bella's speech extraordinaire,_ will you please open the big box? It is killing me to imagine its contents," I said finally, rolling my eyes at them.

"Yeah, the box." Alice excitedly went to open the white box. It revealed a chocolate cake with _Merry Christmas_ written on it. It was sweet and simple.

"Alice and I baked this. Uncle Eleazar wanted to apologize for not being able to meet us. I asked him that the best way to gain our apology is to let us use the kitchen. He agreed and so this is the result," Rose said putting her head on my shoulder.

"That's sweet of yo..."

"Bella we have all the time in the world for pleasantries, can we just eat the cake now?" Em interrupted impatiently and we all laughed.

We ate the cake together and shared pleasant memories of our past. Rose talked about her bridal dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. She blathered all about the theme of their wedding and other things. We laughed and sang Christmas songs. For the first time in two years, I felt happy. At about ten at night, we all said our _good nights_ and they went to their respective rooms to sleep.

I locked the door as they left and walked to the window seat. I sat and looked out towards the sky. The night was clear and the stars were shining beautifully.

"Edward. I love you so much. It hurts to think that you can't be here. I thought losing Mrs. Marie, _my muma,_ was painful but this is excruciating, love. You had said you'd be here forever. I know that isn't your mistake but I still feel lonely. However, today I felt a part of myself loosen up and so I am letting you go now. I will always love you, Mr. Cullen. _My man._ But now I am letting you go. I know you'd want the same for me. Thank you for all your love." With that I took off his ring and threw it out of the window. I don't know if that is callous of me to do so but it seems like the right thing to do.

I turned towards my bed and sat down. I was about to turn off the lights and sleep, when my phone started ringing. I wondered who might be calling this late and picked up my phone from the nightstand. My eyes widened at seeing the caller's name.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed.

"Well well if it isn't the infamous Isabella Swan. Merry Christmas, babe," his hoarse voice greeted.

"Shut it idiot. Why are you calling this late? Oh and Merry Christmas to you too."

"Late? It's only seven, Swan."

"What? Did your clock stop functioning or what?"

"It didn't. It's seven. We just had our Christmas dinner... Oh, I am sorry. Fuck. You are still in Rochester."

"Technically I am in Syracuse. But where are you?"

"I am in Forks. You probably haven't heard of it. It is the rainiest fucking town in Washington State. I am visiting my cousins who live on the Quileute Reservation. I don't know why I agreed to this. Mom wanted to meet her cousins but I don't know why dad was adamant in not going. She was kinda upset about it. So I took pity on her and that's how Jacob Black, the hottest piece of ass in the entire state of New York landed here." I laughed as he ranted.

"You didn't tell me your mom was from Forks. I was born there and spent eighteen years of my life there."

"What the hell Swan! You are kidding me right? How come you missed giving me that important bit of information?"

"You never broached the topic of my hometown, remember?"

"Ok fine. Then you are coming here. It's your punishment for not telling me earlier that you're from Forks," he declared.

"What? Are you serious? I am in Syracuse at Rose's uncle's inn. She'll have my head if I leave now."

"Oh I will handle blondie. You are coming here and that's final. Bye good night, babe"

"Jake...," I said as the line silenced. I sighed and fell on the bed with a thump. Maybe it's some sort of sign. If I left New York for a few days then maybe I could distance myself better from Edward's memories. Jake always seemed like adorable company to be with. I had met him a year later after I started working for _Cullen Architecture_. He came in as an intern in the engineering department and was younger than me by two years. He was adorable with his russet skin and cute dimples. Edward didn't like him as he thought of him as competition for winning my affection, although we were already dating that time. I never got the reasons behind his jealousy. On the other hand, I was on friendly terms with him. He was born in Rochester and knew the city by heart. We hung out a few times. Jasper adored him as he was his mentor. However, only after six months at the firm, he had quit. His heart was in photography and engineering wasn't his thing. Presently, he's the proud owner of his own studio in downtown Rochester. Edward was over the moon when Jake left but wasn't so happy when I remained in contact with him. I huffed and turned off the lights, willing myself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning found me packing for the trip to Forks. Jake has a habit and luck of always getting what he wants. I don't know how but he had convinced Rose to allow me to go to Forks. Well let's just say there is no love lost there. Jake had even managed to get me ticket for the flight from the Syracuse Hancock International airport to SeaTac International airport, where he would pick me up.

"I am sorry Rose, I couldn't help you with your wedding plans," I said hugging her as I made my way to the exit.

"Silly Bella. It's alright. We have Alice and her opinion includes one hundred of Bella's." She winked as Alice pouted. I hugged them all and said my goodbyes, promising to meet them at _Seventh Street_ on January 2nd.

I walked out into the snow to reach the cab waiting outside _The Hales._ As I was walking, I tripped on my feet and fell down. "Shit," I muttered. I stood up brushing the snow off my clothes. That's when I saw it. The ring I had thrown out of the window last night was stuck on my sleeve. I pulled it out and turned to face the window of the room from where I had thrown it. _My ring._ It was like a sign that I can't decipher. Tears welled up in my eyes as I faced the ring again but with all the strength I had, I blinked them back.

And then, walking amidst the dazzling snow, I slid the ring into my coat's pocket and walked towards the waiting cab.

* * *

 **Ahemmm.. So how was it? You know you guys are too shy in leaving me reviews. Why is that, hmm? Share your views readers; leave me some love ;) The more you say, the sooner I'll post next chapter. Also I wanted to know is there anyone who thought Rose and Alice were fighting because they knew something about Edward? Just curious.**

 **Oh and just so you know we are too close to the prologue. And now we have Jacob with us on this ride; so it's definitely gonna be more interesting. I always liked that guy. You know I was thinking to end this chapter when Bella received the phone call and left you wondering who that might be. LOL. I am not that cruel. So, what do you think of Bella throwing her ring? Was that wrong of her to do? I know I babble a lot. :p**

 **Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and _favoriting._**

 **-K**


	10. Chapter 8: The Secrets

**A/N** **: Hi readers! I was really EXCITED for posting this chapter because I'd the most fun writing this. Hope you enjoy. :)**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for her editing and suggestions. I don't know what I would have done without her. She is really wonderful. xoxo**

 **Again as you know, twilight characters belong to SM while the plot and mistakes are all mine. So here you go for one more long chapter.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 8**

 **BELLA**

December 26, 2016

The drive to the airport was short but trying. It was probably due to all of my pent-up emotions. For the last two years, I become quite an emotional mess during this time of the year. After the conversation with my friends last night, I had thought I was done with wallowing in my misery. But that wasn't the case. The only thoughts that were swirling through my mind after finding my engagement ring again, were of Edward. One positive thing that resulted from last night's conversation was that I can now say Edward's name, both in my thoughts and out loud. I used to wince at hearing his name and even refused to think it, and addressed him in third person. But now that has been remedied, _I just hope._ I sighed and stretched my legs, sitting on the comfortable leather seat in the first class section of the plane. Jacob was really benignant for reserving me a seat in first class on such short notice. Being the holidays, almost all the seats were occupied. I turned my head sideways and noticed a lady seated beside me, sweating bullets. Her face was pale, and she looked like she was trying to find an escape from the confined space.

"Excuse me. You're not looking well. Is everything alright?" I finally asked her. She turned to face me, startled.

"Yessss... I.. I mean, no.. I'm not fine." She stammered. "It's the first time I have flown and I know you wouldn't think an old woman like me was so afraid of travelling in a plane, but believe me I am terrified." She finally managed to say, loosening the death grip she had on the handle of the seat.

"If it helps, I was also _terrified_ when I had my first experience of flying. I had held hands with my friend almost the entire time," I explained smiling her way. This seemed to calm her nerves down a bit. I came to know that her name was Marel. She started to talk about how she was going to visit her high school friend in Seattle for New Year's and about her life in Syracuse. I told her that I was also going to Seattle and from there to visit a friend in Forks. This seemed to please her, probably because of the constant company she'd be getting for the nearly eight hour journey. She was talkative; I had to give her that. But I wasn't complaining as it distracted me from my own miserable thoughts.

After a couple of hours, my _neighbour_ fell asleep. She was mumbling something about flights and cockroaches and for the life of me, I didn't get that connection. I chuckled to myself and rested my head back on the seat, trying to get some much needed sleep myself.

* * *

March 21, 2014

"Deep breaths... Yes, just like that. Damn, you're doing good baby. Just a bit more... yes, yes... Good... okay, open your eyes now."

Following the instructions given to me, I opened my eyes and looked into the green orbs. This was the second time I was on a plane and you bet your ass I was freaking the fuck out. _Gracious! I'll kill Edward for using so many curse words; he has spoiled my language too._

"So, how are you feeling now?" he asked genuinely.

"Like a fish out of water! Edward, tell me again why I'm doing this." I asked taking deep breaths again.

"Because you are the fucking Department Head of Cullen Landscape Architecture and had to go to Chicago to look at the details of our new project. Fuck! If I had known about your motherfucking aversion towards flying, I would have driven us there in my Aston Martin," he huffed running a hand through his hair.

"Aversion! You call this aversion! I am fucking terrified, you asshole. I'm sorry if I'm being an unpleasant company for you to travel with. Maybe you're used to traveling with that bitch Victoria." I glared at him and then closed my eyes again, continuing my breathing exercises.

"Fuck, Bella. Please don't start with this Victoria shit again," he sighed, frustration evident in his voice. I said nothing and focused on breathing.

It had been two months since I had become the Department head. Victoria had been found stealing the company's confidential designs and information and sharing them with _James's Firm,_ for which she'd paid the price of losing her job. We were due to complete some major projects, and the deadline was near, failing which would have cost an immense loss to both the company's money and prestige. I happened to give some ideas and helped to complete the work on time. Carlisle appreciated my work and thanked me profusely. That earned me the prestigious position of the Department Head of Landscape Architecture which usually takes people almost 8 to 10 years to earn. Carlisle had said that my ideas and designs were very good and he thinks I'm right for the position even though I only have one year of experience. The notion of me getting such a high position in a short time was absurd to me. I tried to reason with him saying that he should appoint someone more experienced. I still remember his answer, " _Experience is not the only thing that proves your knowledge in any field. I agree that this position demands experience but Bella, you have the brains which architects kill to possess. You don't give yourself much credit but how you sorted out the entire project in such a short time was outstanding. It was next to impossible even for the experienced architects like Edward and me. Even our engineers were worried about it. You've done an excellent job and I don't care what anyone says or thinks but I feel honored to be able to offer you this position._ _"_

I had accepted the position after that and that's how I found myself in this _death trap_ flying through the air at 600 mph. It's my responsibility to visit the sites and work out the rough designs so others in the firm can start the work. Edward was travelling with me as he's the CEO and has to sign off on the project. All this was fine by me except the _flying_ part. My first experience on a flight was when I had travelled from Forks to Rochester with Alice, almost eight years ago. That time I had held her hand the entire flight and had sworn not to travel by plane again. I knew that wasn't going to happen but still I had hope that when I did fly again, I would be much older. _Maybe in my seventies._ But never had I thought, when I had _sworn_ , that I would be on this _monster_ again in such a short period of eight years.

"If you're done solving the _rocket science_ question you're concentrating so hard on, will you loosen your grip? My hand is really hurting." Edward's voice brought me out of my musings. I hadn't noticed I was holding his hand so tightly and released it mumbling 'sorry'. He flexed his fingers a little too dramatically which earned him a smack to his head.

"Ouch! You know one day you'll do permanent brain damage to me by your smacking me in the head. Whatever would you do without my smart ass _brains_ ," he said rubbing the back of his head.

"Stop being a jerk, then. And seriously; you've used _ass_ and _brain_ in a single sentence. I don't even know what that says about your smartness."

"What has gotten up your ass and died! I mean do you even know what you're saying?"

"I've said a hundred times now not to use _imagery_ like that. _Died in ass,_ really! Eww! Just... yuck.." I scowled his way.

"Come on Bella, you know what I'm asking," he said rolling his eyes.

"I know nothing." I closed my eyes again. He took my face in his hands and turned it his way. I opened my eyes to look at him.

"What had you concentrating so hard?" he asked quietly.

"How do you know I was concentrating on something?" I challenged raising an eyebrow.

"Well you had that furrow between your brows that appears whenever you solve your crossword puzzles." He said releasing my face. Shit! He had me there. I loved to solve a challenging crossword puzzle and it was the second thing I do while fully concentrating. Now you might be wondering what the first thing is. Of course, it's sex with the man currently interrogating me. _Oh, he has a body to drool over. His perfect skin, his abs, his perfectly built legs, his happy trail, his..._

"Before you say anything about my dick, please answer my question because we're going to have a fucking problem if you don't. And I have used fucking as a verb, here." He said pointing towards his lap. _Ahem! Yeah, we really have a problem, a big problem.._

"So, umm.. I'd said that out loud, didn't I?" I asked clearing my throat. He just nodded and motioned with his hand for me to continue. _Christ! His fingers. They are so long and slender. Such dextrous fingers that leave me wanting to change my panties._

The click of fingers brought me out of my lust. "For fuck's sake Bella, stop looking at me like that otherwise I'm going to bend you over in front of everyone and fuck you into oblivion." He said that a little too loudly which made the flight attendant gasp and an old lady behind us sputter her drink. That alarmed Edward and he turned his head back to apologize to the lady who was shooting glares at him.

"I'm sorry sir, but just to let you know that sex isn't allowed on planes." The flight attendant said clearly uncomfortable.

"That was just a comment, Miss. I wasn't going to follow through on it," he clarified. I, on the other hand was trying hard to stifle my laughter. The flight attendant left and we both collapsed in a fit of laughter turning towards each other.

"Phew! That was... ok I'm spellbound," I said breathless.

"Yeah. And that was all you're doing. So now tell me what you were thinking before this fiasco happened." He asked adjusting himself on the seat.

"You never forget a thing, do you?" I sighed. I looked up at him and he nodded at me to continue. "I was just thinking about the promotion. I still don't feel comfortable in accepting such a prestigious position."

"I knew you would be thinking like that. Baby," he took my hand in his and kissed my fingers. "Do you remember when you came for the interview in my office?" I nodded. "I had said when you were leaving that you deserve the world at your feet. You've never seen yourself clearly. You are kind, compassionate, intelligent, witty, strong, caring, oh so damn beautiful, an amazing friend and above all else an outstanding lover. You're my fucking life, love and I'll be the one to show you how important your mere existence is. I'm sorry about being an ass regarding your fear of flying, but I don't want you to be afraid of anything. Hell, you're the first girl I've seen who doesn't shout the fuck out on seeing a fucking cockroach," I snorted at that. "I seriously want you to be brave and never cry or panic. Happy tears are acceptable, but not sad ones. You're my angel and you should fear nothing. And I know you're afraid of the other employees' reaction about your position but I'd suggest not to give a flying fuck and let them rot in bloody hell. Oh, and don't say that Victoria bitch's name again, either. I don't care about her. It's only you who matters to me. I love you my angel and I'm forever yours."

That was all it took for my fear to dissolve and I threw my arms around him, which was a little awkward as we were in different seats. He cupped my face in his hands and crashed his lips to mine. Tongues battled for dominance and teeth clattered. Top lip, bottom lip... all was pure bliss. We separated breathless by the kiss when someone cleared their throat. We looked up to find the blushing flight attendant. _Well sweetie, you can't do anything about this situation. My apologies,_ I thought as Edward glared at her.

"What?" he barked.

"Sir please keep the PDA to a minimum, it's..."

"Ok. We're good here. Why don't you bring us some drinks? That would be better." He raised his eyebrow dangerously at her looking all the more fucking edible. _Yumm_ _! I could have him anytime._

The flight attendant's blush deepened and she hastily left.

"For fuck's sake, can't a man kiss his beloved properly?" he raised his hands in the air dramatically. I rubbed his shoulder in sympathy and rested my head on it. He bent down a bit, kissed the top of my head and whispered in my ear, "How strongly are you opposed to joining the Mile High Club?"

I looked up at him incredulously and saw his wicked smile. Well, you can say that after that, I had a new respect for the plane's washrooms.

* * *

December 26, 2016

"Miss, are you alright?" I heard a soft voice and felt someone shaking my shoulder. I woke up with a start looking into the hazel eyes of a flight attendant.

"Edward," I looked around and saw a woman sleeping in the seat beside me. I looked up at the flight attendant and asked, "Where is Edw...," I caught myself mid word when the realization hit me like a brick wall. I was dreaming. The wetness in my eyes was the evidence of my dream. I took a deep breath and asked, "I'm sorry. What happened?"

"You were crying in your sleep and mumbling something. You looked like you were in pain. I thought you were having a nightmare, so I decided to wake you up," She said sympathetically.

I touched around my eyes and felt the wetness. "Thank you. I don't remember having a nightmare. That was a pleasant dream." I said wiping my tears.

"So why were you crying?" she asked curiously. _Good question. Why was I crying when I had such a beautiful dream or rather I should say a_ _memory?_ I pondered on that for a minute and finally looked at her in the eyes to answer.

"Because I want to relive that dream but it isn't possible." She looked at me clearly confused and left after nodding at me. _Well, she isn't the only one who is confused._

The plane landed around six in the evening at SeaTac International. I collected my luggage and was about to call Jacob when I spotted a weird sign.

" _We are here to collect a Swan, babe."_

I chuckled shaking my head at Jacob's antics. I walked closer and found him sitting on a chair holding the sign in one hand and his mobile in the other. His eyes were glued to the screen, and he hadn't noticed me, yet. "I heard you have an interesting collection of Swans. May I be so bold as to ask how one becomes part of the collection?" He lifted his head up so fast that I swear if it had been me, I'd have sprained my neck.

"Are you shitting me? The infamous Isabella Swan, live before Jacob Black's starved eyes! Fuck Swan, you're here." he stood up and grabbed me in a bear hug.

"Can't breathe," I muttered.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot how tiny you are." He joked releasing me. He had grown so much since the last time I had seen him, which had been almost a year ago. His hair was shorter and his face more defined. It was like he had a growth spurt in his twenties. He swung an arm around my shoulder and lifted my backpack in the other.

"So if you're done checking out my smart ass, let's go."

"I wasn't checking you out!" I exclaimed. "I was just noticing that you'd grown quite a bit."

"It has been a year, Swan. If you came out of your shell and looked around, you'd notice that a year is a long time for people to grow." He bitched and lifted his arm from my shoulder. I stood shell-shocked at his words. He sighed and reached out for my hand. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. That was spewed out accidentally. I just missed you a lot, Swan. After vamp's death, you weren't yourself."

I caught only one word from his entire speech- _vamp._ That was enough for me to forget his previous words and left me laughing hysterically. Jacob had once noticed a hickey behind my ear and had teased both Edward and me by calling him 'vamp'. The teasing generally became the usual way he addressed Edward. Edward was annoyed at that and so he had nicknamed Jacob- _wolf_ , because if I was being honest, he really ate like a wolf. I'd always found this funny. Hearing the word come out of Jacob's mouth after so long had me laughing out loud.

"What?" Jacob asked confused.

"Nothing, wolf." I chuckled, brushing past him. I heard his howl of laughter a few seconds later, probably when he got the joke.

We reached Jacob's house on the Res around half past ten at night. The place looked beautiful in the moonlight, away from the loudness of big cities like Rochester. That's the only thing I missed about Forks. It's greenness and quietness. I loved nature and its solitude. The weather was much warmer than New York but still cold. We stopped in front of a small red house. It looked a little derelict. There were overgrown weeds in the lawn due to lack of care. The paint on the house was also faded, and the windows appeared dirty.

"So, this is it. I know this isn't an ideal place to spend a vacation but I promise the La Push beach is good. We can also go in to the town if you like. Actually this house was my mother's when she was younger and now only my grandpa Marcus lives here. Grandma died a year ago and you'll find it strange that we didn't attend her funeral. Like I said on the phone, Dad was fucking adamant about not coming to Forks. I had put one up one hell of an argument at that, seeing Mom so sad. So instead of staying at a hotel, she decided to stay amongst old friends and family. It isn't as bad inside as it appears outside. But if you don't want to stay here, I can..."

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I'm all good. But is it fine by everyone that I stay here? I don't want to impose," I stopped his rambling by expressing my concerns.

"Of course they're ok. The place has four rooms. Two are occupied but you can use the third," He explained getting out of the car.

"Two? But your three- your mom, your grandpa and you," I wondered following him to the house.

"Grandpa doesn't sleep here at night. He sleeps at his brother Caius' place. He said the memories of grandma haunts him here the most at night," he said walking in front of me with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, ok." I said quietly. I can definitely understand what his grandpa was feeling. I myself had given up the apartment after Edward's death. _Yeah, I can now confess to myself that he 'died' instead of saying 'he left' all the time._ I sighed and continued following him. We reached the front door and Jake unlocked it with his key. I stepped inside and was greeted by a musky scent. It wasn't bad smelling but not too pleasant either.

"Mom, we're home. I brought you a Swan," he grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.

"This is your room. The bathroom is next door. You can freshen up and then I'll introduce you to my Mom. Funny, we had known each other for the past three years, but you haven't met my mom. We need to rectify that," he ruffled my hair and left me scowling at the entrance.

I opened the door and went inside. I switched on the lights and saw the sparse furniture. There was a bed with purple a bedsheet and a pillow, along the front wall. A small table and chair sat by the window, opposite to the bed. I sat on the bed and fingered the material of the bedsheet. It was really strange that I hadn't met Jake's mom after all this time. He lived in his own apartment and so I never had the need to go to his house and meet his parents. I looked around the room and saw the pale yellow walls. I don't know why but I felt nostalgic. I sighed and stood up to go to the restroom.

"Mom isn't here. Maybe she had gone to Caius' place to drop Grandpa. You want some?" he said offering me biscuits as I walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks." I took one.

"There is lasagne in the refrigerator. I'll heat it and we can eat that. Oh, and we have beer. You want?" he said looking in the refrigerator.

"Lasagne is fine and I can heat it," I reached out for the container.

"Nope, Swan. Let me do the host's job, babe," he said pushing past me. I huffed and sat down on a chair beside the counter.

"Ok. I'm full now," he burped, "Sorry," he said rubbing his stomach.

"You are such a man." I rolled my eyes at him.

"You haven't seen anything yet, Swan," he winked.

"Whatever," I stood to do the dishes.

"Hey," he grabbed my wrist as I reached for his empty plate. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Going to wash the dishes, I think," I said slowly.

"What did I said earlier? What kind of host lets his guest do the dishes?"

"Come on, Jake. You know it's fine," I tried to free myself from his grip.

He released my hand but took his plate in his hand. "No, it isn't."

"Ok fine. You wash and I'll dry," I said raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Ugh.. ok," he agreed.

"So how's life going," he asked while washing the dishes.

"Same old, same old. Nothing new. I go to work and then I go home."

"Huh. Sounds boring. Wanna have some fun, Swan?" he asked and bumped his hip to mine; I gasped.

"No, thanks," I straightened myself. He left the dishes and grabbed my shoulder, turning me to his side.

"What?" I asked looking into his eyes. He didn't say anything; just stared at me.

"Jake..." I started, but he interrupted.

"Bella, do you still love him?" he said moving us forward. My back hit the wall as he trapped me by his hands on my shoulder. I was shocked and flabbergasted by this sudden change of conversation.

"Jake please let me pass. What are you doing?" I asked looking everywhere but him.

"Answer me Bella. Do you still love him?" His face was closer now, and I felt really uncomfortable.

"Yes." I whispered looking into his eyes. "I'll always love him."

He closed his eyes, and he looked as if he were in pain. He breathed deeply and opened them again with new determination. "But he's not here anymore," he countered.

"Doesn't matter," I said looking away.

"Yes it matters!" he shouted suddenly and moved away. I stiffened. "It matters dammit. It fucking matters!" He came near me again and took my face in his hands. "You can't do this, Bella. You can't be stuck to him your whole life. You have to move on. There is someone else who's waiting for you to notice him." His voice was desperate, and I looked wide-eyed at him. I don't know how our conversation had taken this turn. This isn't the Jacob I knew. _My Jacob_ had never called me Bella while _this Jacob_ has addressed me as Bella thrice now. This Jacob was wild and furious whereas my friend Jacob was funny and carefree. He hadn't talked to me like this, ever. Is it possible he has feelings for me? No, it can't be true. I've always considered him as a brother. This is just ridiculous. I was about to tell that to him when I heard the front door open.

"Jacob, I'm home," a soft but loud voice called out. Both of our heads turned in the direction and he released me, coming to stand on front of me.

"Jacob, are you and your friend home?" The footsteps came closer.

"Yes Mom. We're in the kitchen." He called out and sighed. He turned his head back to look at me and muttered 'sorry'. I so wanted to give him a piece of my mind for cornering me like that but this wasn't the right time.

"Oh, good. I hope you ate dinner. I'd made lasagne. Where's your friend? Swan? Isn't that her name?" I saw a partial view of curly black hair entering the kitchen and nothing beyond that because of the massive _wolf_ in front of me.

"Yeah, we ate dinner, mom. And this is Swan about whom I have told you," he shifted to bring me in front of him and introduced me. I saw his mother's back as she was putting something in the refrigerator.

"It's actually Isabella Swan. Or I prefer Bella. Jake always calls me Swan and until five minutes ago, he hadn't addressed me as Bella in the three years we had known each other," I narrowed my eyes at him and he averted his gaze. I looked up to where his mother was standing and it wasn't the look I'd expected to see. Her whole body seemed frozen. It took her at least twenty seconds to turn and look at me. She was thin and had tanned skin and black hair, just like Jake's. But what surprised me was the paleness that had come to her face. It seemed like she'd seen a ghost. Her eyes were opened so wide that her almost black orbs looked as if they would pop out of her face.

"Mom? You okay?" Jake asked moving towards her and shook her shoulders. That brought her out of her stupor and she blinked. That was the first time I noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Mom, you are freaking me out. What's the matter?" Jake asked, both frustrated and confused. But Mrs. Black didn't hear him. She was looking straight at me with so much emotion that I couldn't seem to decipher. Jake looked between the two of us. "Okay. Why are you looking at Swan as if she's some long lost friend of yours?" Jake asked slowly.

"Because she is. Or a part of her is," she spoke so softly that I almost didn't hear her. Her voice was also filled with the same emotion that was flowing through her eyes. I didn't understand what she said. However, the name she whispered next was the one which would turn my whole world around.

 _The first time my life_ _changed was_ _when I met Edward. And the second time it begins to change is when Mrs. Black whispers, "Renee Isabella Swan."_

* * *

 **Dun dun dun. Damn cliffie! Isn't it? What do you think is going to happen next? Any ideas? I wasn't going to post this chapter so soon but I have to as I think next chapter is going to take a bit longer to come out. I'm super busy these days but don't worry I'll complete it. I never leave my work hanging. So you got a glimpse of the sweetness that's Edward and Bella. Also there was another issue about Jacob's feelings. And then we have the cliffie.**

 **You know I can bring the chapter SOONER too. Well, I've my conditions, though. The more you say about this, the sooner I'll get the chapter out. You think I'm MEAN? Sorry dear readers, but it hurts to see many visitors in the traffic graph but not enough responses. I'm enjoying a lot writing this and I really wants to know whether you're enjoying reading this or not. Isn't it at least what I deserve? Your words are enough to lift up my spirits. :)**

 **It had been a month since I published this. A huge thanks to you all for reading, following and _favoriting_ this story and for your continued support. Oh, and maybe we'll have that extract from the prologue in next chapter. Hints, hints...**

 **-K**


	11. Chapter 9: Secrets Revealed

**A/N** **: Hey readers. I know I've said I'll take a while to post it but it's ironically early. But I know no one is complaining. ;) So without much delay I'm leaving you to it. This is really one hell of a long chapter. See me at the bottom.**

 **As always, big THANKS to EdwardsFirstKiss for pointing out and correcting my mistakes, and also for doing this so fast. I've learned a lot from her. :)**

 **And all twilight characters belong to SM but this plot and the mistakes are all mine.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9**

 **BELLA**

December 26, 2016

"Renee Isabella Swan," Mrs. Black whispered.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Black but should I know who we are talking about?" I asked, pulling my eyebrows together in confusion. She stared at me again and a lone tear finally fell from her eye. She stepped forward and came to stand in front of me. Wiping the escaped tear, she suddenly enveloped me in a hug. I stiffened for a second. I was never one who's considered to be a _hugger_ or _cuddler._ My hugs and kisses were only limited to my friends- Ali, Rose, Jazz and Em, and also Esme, Carlisle and to some extent, Jake. When I was a child, Mrs. Marie, _my muma,_ used to kiss me good night and gave occasional hugs. There's no doubt that she loved me like her own daughter but it wasn't in her nature to show her affection through hugs. The most physical affection I had experienced, was with Edward but that was a totally different scenario. So being hugged by someone who I'd just met was really surprising.

I regained my senses and awkwardly returned her hug. She released me after a few seconds but continued holding my hands, still staring at me with the same unfathomable emotion.

"You don't know anything, do you?" her question was rhetorical as she shook her head and stepped back.

"What the hell are you talking about, Mom?" Jake exclaimed raising his hands up in exaggeration.

"Jacob Black, watch your words." Mrs. Black glared at him.

"Mrs. Black, I think there are some things that I'm not aware of but you clearly are. Please explain as I'm getting very confused," I said not rudely but straight away. She turned towards me and smiled.

"It's Sarah for you, Isa." That caught me off-guard. No one except _my muma,_ or sometimes the then owner of the Forks orphanage, Mrs. Cope,has called me _Isa._

"How do you... You... you knew Mrs. Marie?" I asked speechless.

She again shook her head and her smile disappeared. "Yes, I knew Aunt Marie and I know people who are important for you to know but you don't. However, it's almost midnight and this is not the right time for carrying on a conversation like this. We'll talk about it tomorrow," she came forward and caressed my face with her hands. "Jacob, show Isa to her room. Goodnight sweetheart." She hastily left the kitchen after that. I stood motionless until Jake tapped me on my shoulder.

"Look, I want to say sorr..."

"It's alright. Don't do that again... So, what do know about this?" I cut-off his apology.

"What?" he gaped at me.

"About who'll be the next President! Of course, I'm asking about what your Mom was saying. And who is Renee Isabella Swan?" I mumbled frustrated, raking a hand through my hair.

"I... I don't know from where that came from," he said scratching the back of his head. "She was or she is probably a friend of hers. She had your name, you know."

"But how does she know Mrs. Marie? She even called her Aunt Marie!" I held out my hands in exasperation. "And as you so rightly pointed out, this Renee girl or woman is a Swan. And Mrs. Marie's last name was also Swan. That's where mine came from."

"Wait, wait, wait. Who is Mrs. Marie exactly?" he asked. It was then that I realized he didn't know about my life in Forks or about the orphanage.

"I realize I haven't told you about my life in Forks," I told him looking away and folding my arms. "I was left in the Forks orphanage by my birth parents, right after I was born. Mrs. Marie Swan was one of the care-takers there and we shared a special bond. I called her muma and she treated me like her own daughter. She died when I was twelve and then I was adopted by a foster care family. After my high school graduation, Alice and I left for Rochester to further our studies and _yes_ , Alice is also from Forks," I completed, seeing he was about to ask something. He pondered on that for a moment and nodded.

"Ok. So... yeah, I get where you are coming from. I think you should rest now," he ends abruptly.

"Is everything alright?" I questioned his hasty behavior.

"Yeah... I...," he sighed and shook his head. I tapped his forearm and he looked at me. "Bella I... You said you were adopted and left by your birth parents. I... My dad...," he gripped the chair near the counter and sat down with his head in his hands. "My dad... my real dad died in an accident when I was five. My mother and I were left alone as Dad had no immediate family. My paternal grandparents died before my birth; so I hadn't met them. My mom started teaching primary school so we could survive. Those were a tough six years for us. But one day mom met a friend. His name was Billy and she said he was her childhood friend. There was some chemistry between them which couldn't be ignored. Finally, when I turned twelve, they approached me. Mom confessed her feelings but said she wouldn't do anything if I didn't agree. I rebelled at first stating that it was so easy for her to get over Dad," he sighed rubbing his hand on his face.

"However, after a week my brain started functioning right. I realized it was her life and I couldn't behave like a fucking insolent kid. So I apologized and said I had no problem with their marriage. They married the following month and I swear, I hadn't seen her happier than she was that day," he chuckled shaking his head. I sat on the chair beside him and laid my head on his shoulder. "That's when our life with Billy Black started. He is a good man but he is very... formal? I don't know what word we have for his kind. I know he cared for my mom. Hell! He even cared for me like his own son. He is not one to openly express his feelings but like I said, he has a heart of gold. That's why it took me only two years to start calling him Dad. But there are times when I had a suspicion that they were hiding something from me and you know what? I think you are one of those things." I raised my head and looked up at him.

"So you think there might be something big that is being kept hidden from us?" I asked.

"I'm sure there is. My step-dad has a mysterious personality. The one thing that disturbs me the most is that he never allowed mom or me to come anywhere near Forks nor was he willing to come here. If I wasn't so stubborn in bringing mom here, he wouldn't have allowed us to come. I mean, it's not like I hadn't been to Forks, ever. I just don't remember it. Mom said we used to come here on alternate years with my real Dad but I don't remember those details. Even my memories of my Dad are fuzzy," He seemed sad in talking about his father. I can't tell you, how he must be feeling because I don't know what it's like to lose a father. Hell! I don't even know what it feels like to have a father. The closest father-figure in my life was Carlisle.

I hugged him lightly and whispered, "I'm sorry for your loss Jake." He smiled tearfully at me.

"Anyways, what's odd is why my step-dad was so adamant about not going to Forks. Maybe these things are somewhat related?" he mused.

"It's a waste to think about it now. We'll get our answers tomorrow," I looked at the clock on the wall which said fifty minutes past twelve, "or rather today." He chuckled at my correction and we both stood up.

"So, I think…Goodnight Swan," he quirked an eyebrow.

"Mmmhmm. Goodnight Black," I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. I left as he stood frozen with his hand on his cheek.

Later in my room, I thought about that action and can't seem to realize why I had done it.

* * *

December 27, 2016

The sunlight coming in from the small window woke me up. I stretched a little and checked the time on my phone. It was nine in the morning and the day seemed clear, which was unusual for a late December morning in Forks. I yawned and stepped out of the bed. After freshening up and taking a shower, I walked into the kitchen. Jake and Mrs. Bla _... umm,_ Sarah were both sitting by the counter.

"Good morning Sarah, Jake." I greeted entering the kitchen.

"Very Good morning, sweetie. Hope you slept well," said Sarah while Jake just mumbled out _mudd mommin Mmwaam_ due to the sandwich in his mouth.

"I had a good night, Sarah. Thank you so much for letting me stay here." She brushed off my comment with a wave of her hand and offered me a sandwich. I took it and sat down on one of the chairs.

"Here, have some juice," she offered me the jug and glass.

"Thanks," I smiled and poured a glass. We ate our breakfast in silence; no one was ready to initiate any conversation. Although, the _not-so-stealthy_ glances Sarah was shooting my way didn't go unnoticed by me. After we finished, I insisted helping with the dishes despite Sarah's disapproval while Jake went to take a shower.

"So, how long have you been living in Rochester?" Sarah asked as we finished drying the dishes.

"Eleven years. I left Forks after High School graduation to continue my studies at the University of Rochester," I explained. She was quiet for a moment and then with a streak of determination, she took a deep breath.

"I know you want to talk about yesterday. You can ask anything. Let's sit down," she proceeded to sit down on the chair at the table and I followed suit.

"Ahem! So, how do you know Mrs. Marie?" I asked. She smiled and shook her head.

"I thought you would ask about Renee first. Let's start from the beginning, dear," she chuckled humorlessly, gazing into some other world. "Aunt Marie was my mother's good friend. So, when their children were born only a month apart from each other, their bond strengthened. Renee, Aunt Marie's daughter, thus became a fast friend of mine. We played together as toddlers and attended school with each other. Almost everything we did was shared with each other. There were never any secrets between us. Renee's father died when she was only six which had made her very sad. Aunt Marie was so devastated that she lost control of her senses. She failed to care for Renee's feelings. That was the time when Renee and I grew closer. She basically had started living at our house. We talked a lot and for six-year olds, her conversations were very mature. She'd become careless towards life but her spirit never died. Her relationship with Aunt Marie deteriorated after her father's death. She never shared anything with her. Her decisions were always her own and no one was allowed to interfere; except for me. We were like sisters and an important part of each other's life. Renee was bold and outspoken but there wasn't a time when she'd let Aunt Marie down. But as always there came an exception which changed their lives," she huffed out a breath and stared at me. "You're very beautiful, you know."

"What?" I said, startled by her sudden change in conversation. "I mean... umm… Thanks?" That came out more like a question and I blushed lowering my head. She chuckled and pulled a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry but you remind me... anyways; so, one day we met two brothers who were just spectacular. The four of us formed a friendship and hung out together. Renee had the hots for the elder brother while I fell for the younger one. We were never the ones to be influenced by guys but they both had something that attracted us. I was serious in my relationship but Renee said that she was just toying around for fun. One evening she came to my house, practically dishevelled. Anger was rolling out of her and she looked horrendous. My parents weren't home. I let her in and asked her what had happened. That was when she told me that she was pregnant. She was over the top angry and was cursing like a sailor. She wanted to abort the baby and didn't want her mom to know anything. But it didn't go down like that. Aunt Marie unexpectedly heard us talking and took her home. I didn't see Renee for a long time after that. My mother told me that Aunt Marie was taking Renee to Florida. That was the last I heard from her. I wen... Bella? Are you alright?" she stopped her story and asked.

Am I alright? I didn't know myself. Tears were involuntarily flowing from my eyes. The only thing revolving in my mind was that I wasn't meant to be alive. I wasn't wanted. That's why I always felt as if I wasn't good enough for anyone. It wasn't hard to guess who the child Renee Swan had borne was.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be this callous in telling you all this. I should've known that you'd figure it out. Hush... It's ok. Sshhh...," Sarah stood and engulfed me in a hug, gently patting my head. But my sobs couldn't be controlled. The pain was unbearable. Now, I knew why Mrs. Marie was so affectionate to me. She was trying to make up for her daughter's mistakes. But I, who wasn't _good_ for anyone, didn't deserve to have knowledge of my own grandma. I wasn't _good enough_ for her to tell me about our true relationship.

"This is fucking bullshit," Jake shouted from the doorway.

We both turned towards him with a start. His face was red in anger as he came into the kitchen. "Your friend did what? She was... It's... I'm fucking speechless."

"Jacob, stop cussing like this. I know Renee's thoughts were wrong..."

"Wrong? You say they were wrong? She was going to commit the deadliest sin. Killing her unborn child? That's the solution she devised to cover for herself after having pleasure wi..."

"SHUT UP JACOB," I shouted. "Just shut the hell up." I stood up and walked over to him, wiping my tears angrily. "She may be wrong but... she is still my mother." I mumbled the last part, not feeling the words.

"She was," Sarah whispered. I turned back astonished.

"What do you mean by _she was_?" I asked cautiously. She closed her eyes and took a breath.

"Bella. Please sit down. You figured out about your mother but you still don't know the whole story," she said calmly.

"Yeah... whole story...," Jake mumbled.

"Jacob, you don't have a say in this matter so please leave." Sarah demanded. Jake tried to protest but one glare from Sarah shut him up and he left frustrated.

"Come on sweetie, sit down." We sat down on our respective seats and Sarah offered me a glass of water which I gulped down. Once my nerves had calmed down enough, I motioned for her to continue.

"Ok. When Aunt Marie left with Renee, she didn't plan to come back. We didn't hear from them for two years. We just knew that Aunt Marie had convinced Renee to keep the child; I mean _you_ ," she said gently. "She didn't want your father's involvement in your life and..."

"Why was that?" I interrupted. She smiled sadly and sighed.

"Your father, Charles Black belonged to one of the most notorious family in the Pacific West...,"

"Charles Black? _Black?_ Are you fucking kidding me!" Jake interrupted Sarah, yet again from the doorway. We looked at him as he came to sit on the chair across mine. "And you were saying, this issue doesn't concern me?" he fumed.

Sarah shook her head and said, "If you both keep on interrupting me, then how will I explain? Jacob, you can sit here as you are eavesdropping anyways, but don't interrupt. Bella," she said a little more softly, "You too need to listen to me first and then I'll answer all of your questions." I nodded my head in affirmation and Jake huffed.

"Alright. Let me start again. Jacob, just so you don't interrupt later, I want to clarify that Charles Black is Billy's brother. Yes, you haven't met him and the reason why, you'll know later," she spoke, seeing that Jake was on the verge of asking something. "So as I was saying that we didn't hear from Renee for two years. It was probably because we went to New York, four months after Aunt Marie left, because of Dad's business. I hadn't heard from Billy after they left and I was sad because of the loss of two dearest people of my life. That's when I met Phil, Jacob's father and we fell in love. After a couple of years in New York, Dad's business finished and they were ready to leave for Forks. But I insisted on settling in New York and continuing my studies. They'd always been very supportive and so they allowed me to stay there. And they also loved Phil, so there wasn't a problem. A week later, I received a call from my Mom and she told me that Aunt Marie was staying at the Forks orphanage. She told her that Renee had run away with Charlie and she didn't know anything about the baby. Saying, that I was shocked was an understatement. I had known Renee for such a long time and loved her dearly like my own sister. I wouldn't have expected that from her. Aunt Marie didn't speak to my mother much after that. Mom said that she'd isolated herself and was just devoting the rest of her life to care for the children in the orphanage. Another care-taker who worked there and was a friend of mom's, told her that Aunt Marie loved all the children like her own but had an infatuation with a little girl _Isa._ That news had sown seeds of doubt in my mind and I'd always wondered if this girl was Renee's child. My doubt cleared up when I met you. You are like Renee's twin with Charlie's eyes. She had hazel eyes but yours are a beautiful deep brown like your father's," she said smiling my way. "That was all I knew until I met Billy again. Now Jacob, there are some things that you won't like to hear, so..."

"I would rather hear those said things instead of being kept in the dark," Jake said quietly. I wasn't the only one who was affected by this conversation. Jake too, had to know the events that led him to Billy, his step-dad.

"Ok. Jacob, you wanted to know why Billy was adamant about not coming to Forks. I'm going to explain the whole thing; at least what I know," she shifted in her seat nervously and continued. "When I met Billy again, he had changed drastically. Earlier, he had this bad boy aura around him- cigarettes, beer, even drugs. But the new Billy was calm and collected. He didn't open up to me for quite sometime but then one day he told me the thing that resulted in his change. And that was something I... I never wanted to hear in my life," a tear dropped from her eye as she stammered. "He told me that he had never stopped loving me but their family was about to be prosecuted for something; so they had to leave hastily and he had to break all contact with me. He told me that Renee had actually ran away with Charlie," she whispered the last part. "I'm sorry to say this but Bella, Renee was never meant to be a care-taker, let alone a _mother_ ," she emphasized. I nodded at her. Inside, I was numb. No feelings. Nothing. "Charlie convinced Renee to run away with him, telling her that he loved her. But that wasn't true. I'm going to tell you something that you won't believe. Even I found it unbelievable. I don't know what your reaction will be like but keep in mind one thing- you are not allowed to tell this to anyone. Not a soul except the people in this room can know what I am about to tell you," she spoke loud and clear. Her face was solemn which told us the seriousness of the situation.

"You're scaring us, mom. Like you're about to tell us that _vampires_ and _werewolves_ are real or anything else like that," Jake rolled his eyes.

"Son, what I'm going to tell you, is much more dangerous than a vampire-werewolf fight. Promise me you are not going to utter a word to anyone about it. And Bella, I know it's difficult but please try to control your emotions," we again nodded at her.

"Ok. So I've told you that the Blacks were considered the most notorious family in Washington because of their illegal dealings. But that's a half- truth. They were involved in illegal businesses but there was also something beyond this world that's unknown to people; or people try to remain unknown about. They knew there's something otherworldly but they deny it as superstition. But it isn't a superstition," she took a deep breath and tilted her head, looking at the flowers kept on the counter in a vase. They were freshly plucked, beautiful red roses. _Maybe she'd got them in the morning, earlier._ She started again and I continued to listen intently.

"Joham Black, the great, great, great-grandfather of Billy Black, learned the art of Black Magic. His wife, who he loved dearly, died at a very young age which moved him greatly. He lost his sanity and isolated himself. He researched on things like immortality and the afterlife. His sister, Huilen, was his only confidante and he told her that he wanted to bring his wife back. He neglected his three-year old son, Nahuel, and devoted all his time to his research. Huilen took care of all of Nahuel's needs and raised him like her own. Joham immersed himself completely in his research. He contacted hermits, monks, priests, and studied the legends of Africa, India, and China. He explored everything. Then one day he received something which Billy calls a _master formula._ At that time, Nahuel was nineteen and the formula required Nahuel's help. Joham explained the procedure to Huilen and Nahuel but Huilen protested. She could see the dangers involved and tried to convince her brother to stop. But Joham didn't listen. He hit Huilen on the head with a pot which injured her badly and she was admitted to a local medical care institution to see a medicine man by a fuming Nahuel. Nahuel refused to help his father which angered Joham all the more. He forcibly tied him up in his lab and beat him until he was black and blue. Then, he continued with his experiment. But something went wrong and Joham mysteriously died. Nahuel, on the other hand, was left unharmed. When Huilen recovered, Nahuel told her the whole thing and they decided that it was time to talk to the elders. No one understood what had happened and the matter was dismissed. Joham was buried by his wife. Nahuel married when he turned 21 and had his first son. That's when this whole thing started. Just after his birth, Nahuel's child jumped out of his mother's arms and emitted a deafening growl. The family was scared to death over the incident but Nahuel convinced them not to worry. Nothing unusual happened after that and Nahuel had two other, perfectly normal children. But the first child wasn't normal. His behavior was strange. He didn't play with anyone, didn't study, and never participated in any conversation; he remained solemn and never smiled. One day, his younger brother urged him to play with him. He was ten years old at that time and didn't respond as usual but the younger one was stubborn. He picked up a stick and threw it at him. The first child glared at the stick and then his brother and both burned into ashes within seconds. Their mother witnessed the scene and wailed in desperation, dropping to her knees. The first child remained seated with a blank expression. When Nahuel came to know about this, he angrily questioned his son. When he didn't answer, Nahuel slapped him. Immediately, the child glared at him and Nahuel met his end."

"The whole family was terrified. Huilen was the one to figure out everything. She told her theory to the elders that there had probably been a change in Nahuel which occurred during Joham's experiment which resulted in him passing some unusual traits to the first child. The elders then concluded to kill every first born in the family. They left the place and moved elsewhere, leaving the first child by himself. He was never heard of after that. When the youngest and Nahuel's only surviving son had his first child, it was meant to be killed. But the child turned out to be a girl. It was decided not to kill her because they thought that the magic passed only to sons. So the rule changed from killing the firstborn child to killing the firstborn son. The girl was named Swasean and she had an angelic beauty. The second child was a boy and was killed immediately. The third child was also a boy and he was allowed to survive..."

"Bullshit! They weren't humans; they were animals! Damnit! Even animals are better. _Allowed to survive?_ What the fuck is that!"

"Jacob, I've asked you not to interrupt. Just shut up," Sarah scolded. I was so involved in the story that I'd forgotten Jake's presence. "So where was I...? Yeah... Swasean. She was super intelligent, kind, polite and soft- spoken. People called her goddess. Then, there was a turn of events. Her younger brother was married before her and had his first child; a son. When Swasean heard about the _tradition_ , she protested. She fought the elders and reasoned with them. Finally, they gave in when Swasean pledged to take full responsibility of the child. Swasean was married a year later and had a beautiful daughter, the following year. However, when her daughter was five, she died of influenza. Swasean was devastated. She refused to eat or drink. On the day of the girl's funeral, Swasean's younger brother's nine-year old first son came to her. The child loved her deeply and Swasean doted on him. He asked her what would make her happy. Swasean took him in her lap and told him that only her daughter could make her happy again. The child nodded solemnly and asked her to come with him. She half-heartedly followed him and he took her to the girl's designated grave. The family and friends were gathered there for the funeral. The child pushed past everyone, holding Swasean's hand and reached the coffin. He opened it and everybody gasped at his action. He said to Swasean to put their joined hands on the girl's pale, lifeless forehead. Swasean stared at him knowingly and smiled. And just as they did that, a blinding white light emerged and there was the girl, sitting in her coffin with pink cheeks. The incident spread like fire. It was concluded that the hazards of magic could be controlled with love. Swasean's love saved her brother's child from meeting the same fate as Nahuel's son," Sarah sat straighter and looked at us.

"The following generations, thus lived happily until the birth of Charles Black. He is the second son of Ephraim Black. Unfortunately, the first son died in his mother's womb. Ephraim Black had a lot of magic buried inside which he used to develop his business. Ephraim had killed his own father when he stood in his way to acquire the supreme power. Ephraim is evil but Charlie is devil incarnate. Neither Charlie nor Billy has any magic in their veins. But the legends are meant to be told to everyone in the family. So, when it was told to Charlie and Billy, Charlie started his own research. He was hungry for power, just like his father, and wanted to find his own Swasean. But he didn't find anyone. Then an idea came to his mind. He thought that if he could have a son, then he could control his powers. That's why he started his games with Renee and she conceived," she put her index finger between her eyebrows as if she was concentrating hard.

"Though, Charlie doesn't have any supernatural powers but he does have the ability to _brainwash_ anyone. He contacted Renee when she was near to deliver the child and convinced her to run away with him. Renee was already trying to find an escape; so she agreed. But when the child turned out to be a girl, his frustration reached new heights. Still, he took Renee away with him to Port Angeles. For one year he kept her involved in his love games. I was shocked when Billy told me this because Renee wasn't one to bind herself with only one person. Ultimately, she became pregnant but both Renee and the child died under mysterious circumstances. Charlie then approached Billy and asked him to help him in his conquest. But Renee's tragic end had opened Billy's eyes. He fought with Charlie and told him he was leaving Port Angeles. Charlie didn't like this but he let him go. The day when Billy was supposed to leave, Ephraim came to him and tried to bewitch him. Charlie held him prisoner in his own room. They were trying to hold Billy captive and entrance him. One week passed. Billy doesn't remember much about that week but he said he could never forget the last day," she folded her hands in her lap and looked pointedly at me.

"Billy had not gotten enough food and water in that week. It was like Charlie and Ephraim were deliberately starving him for their evil purposes. He still doesn't know what they wanted to do and that was why he didn't want to come anywhere near Port Angeles which explains his stubbornness in not allowing us to come to Forks..."

"Shit! Why didn't you tell me this before? Dad was right; we shouldn't have come here. We're leaving, mom. Pack up," Jake started to stand but Sarah reached cross the table and grabbed his hand.

"Don't make hasty decisions, Jacob. I know what I'm doing. Charlie isn't anywhere near Forks at this time," she concluded.

"Oh and how can you be so sure? Are you friends with him or does he sends you his whereabouts regularly?" Jake raised an eyebrow in challenge. Sarah sighed and raked a hand through her hair.

"Jacob. Will you at least listen to me?" Sarah whispered.

"No, I... Mom, I won't. You're bringing danger into our lives. Tell me, has that swine Charlie _brainwashed_ you, too?" Jake shouted.

"Stop it Jake!" I exclaimed throwing my hands in air. "I know this matter concerns you because you are a part of the family now, but think about me. I'm the daughter of that god-damn monster. I don't know what bizarre traits I have inherited from him as I was his first child..."

"Gracious! I hadn't even thought about that!" Sarah slapped her hand over her mouth.

"About what?" I asked slowly. She put both her hands in her hair as if trying to pull it out by its roots. She looked at me bewildered and her face paled.

"Haven't you figured it out, Bella? I was so shocked and happy to see you alive that I forgot about the consequences. You are the _first child_ ," she practically shouted and started muttering something under her breath. Jake flew from his chair and knelt down on the floor in front of her. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"Hey, Hey, Mom. It's alright. Everything will be fine. Swan," he turned to face me. "Get her a glass of water, fast. She is having a panic attack." I rushed to fill a glass and gave it to her.

"Sarah, its fine; I've never experienced any supernatural things in my whole 29 years. Besides I'm a girl and that's why _he_ didn't take me with drink some water," I urged, bringing the glass to her lips. She held it with shaking hands and gulped it down thirstily. She relaxed a bit and took a much needed breath.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I panicked a little. I'm so..."

"It's alright, Sarah. We can continue this later. You should rest." She tried to protest but we convinced her to take a power nap in her room.

* * *

"So, that was one heck of a conversation." Jake said with his hands in his pocket. We were standing on the first floor balcony. It had been an hour since Sarah had left for her room and we were just killing time, wandering around.

"Yeah, it was. Who would have thought that you'd turn out to be my brother," I joked.

"Hey! I'm so not you're fucking brother. I was adopted, if you'd forgotten that shit. We're friends, that's all," he said defensively and I snickered. Sharing these light words after such an _angsty_ conversation felt good. I have learned so much today but I don't want to ponder on it. _Well, what should you do when you belong to a family in which the first child is cursed? Oh, and not to forget that your mother is dead and your father is a monster and you don't know what evils he's currently planning._ I sighed and looked around towards the trees. There was so much greenery here, and it called to me.

"So, now that you know about your parentage, would you still like to be called _Swan_?" Jake asked suddenly. I looked up at him and thought about what he'd said.

"I think I'll always like to be called _Swan._ I don't want to associate myself with the Black family. You know, it's hard to believe because I don't have the same powers which others had, being the first child," I mused.

"Maybe your powers are dormant and will rise when the need comes? Or it's just because you are a girl, as you'd said earlier," Jake wondered.

"I don't want to think about that, Jake," I said and turned to go back downstairs.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Jake apologized, catching me on my way downstairs.

"It's okay, I'm not upset. It's not your fault. I was just thinking over things." I said honestly.

"Bella," Sarah whispered from the doorway. We turned to face her. "I would like to resume our conversation." I started to go to her and Jake followed. "Jacob. Son, I know you care about Bella and would like to know more but don't you think Bella deserves some privacy?" Jake looked at me, thoughtfully and nodded. I smiled at him and he left, telling me he's there if I needed him.

I sat down on the bed beside Sarah and she looked at the closed door.

"He likes you, you know," she said quietly. The remark caught me off guard but I maintained my expression.

"We're just friends. We care about each other," I told her, wringing my fingers nervously together in my lap.

She tilted her head towards me and looked at me curiously. "I know you're friends but he wants more." I was shocked by her straight forward comment and looked at her wide-eyed. "Oh please. Don't tell me he didn't tell you." She rolled her eyes playfully.

I shifted uncomfortably and shook my head in denial. She stiffened at that. "Are you... are you serious? I'm so sorry, I didn't..."

"No, it's alright. It's just... I like Jake but... I... I love someone else, Sarah," I confessed.

"Really! That's fantastic. He must be a lucky one," she said delighted. I smiled sadly.

"I _was_ the lucky one, believe me," she looked at me confused. "He... he died two years ago," I explained looking away.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry," she shifted towards me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"It's fine. It has been so long...," I sighed.

"I understand that dear. I've experienced losing my love, twice. You'll find someone special; just like I had found mine." I said nothing and asked her to tell me what she wanted to say earlier. She released me from her arms and looked at the closed door again.

"There isn't much left to tell. I was telling you about the last day of the week in which Billy was captured. That day around midnight, Billy experienced a feeling like he was floating in the air. He thought he had died but when he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by white lights. The same blinding lights that appeared when Swasean's daughter had come to life again," she turned her head to look at me.

"But you know what; this wasn't the strangest thing. Billy experienced a banging headache and the next thing he remembered was that he had woken up in a... I don't remember the word he said to describe that but... it was all… weird? He said the place has a royal touch inside but the walls were broken in some places. It was huge... like the place was both haunting and magical at the same time. At first, he thought that Charlie and his father had brought him there as a part of their plan. But soon he realized that wasn't the case." She stopped at that leaving me wondering what made him realize that. A question randomly popped up in my mind and I asked it out of curiosity.

"Do you know the place where Mr. Black landed?" She thought for a moment and then said she didn't remember the name. I said it was alright and thanked her for telling me the details. I left her room after few minutes and met Jake outside, standing with his legs crossed at the ankles and hands in his pocket, leaning against the wall. He quirked an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I asked as I walked past him on my way to kitchen. I filled a glass of water and he came to stand beside me.

"You alright?" He asked taking my hand in his, rubbing circles on the back of it.

"Yeah, I'm all good," I smiled at him, putting the empty glass back.

"Great. Come on! We've had too much gloominess today. The day is still young and the weather looks good," he smirked. "Let's go to the beach. I'll introduce you to my silly ole cousins. You know there is one guy..."

"Bella," Sarah's voice interrupted Jake. She came to stand by us in the kitchen. "There you are. I was searching for you...," she stopped and smiled curiously when she noticed my hand in Jake's. I quickly withdrew my hand as to not send her any wrong signals. My action broke her gaze and she cleared her throat.

"Oh, yeah. I wanted to tell you that I remembered the name of the place," she motioned with her hand to ask if I understood what she was talking about.. When I nodded, she said the one name that I couldn't have imagined in my life, ever.

"The place was a manor on _Seventh Street_ , located on the outskirts of Rochester."

* * *

 **Another cliffie? Well it's not exactly a cliffie. Anyways, I want to SHARE something with you all. When I started writing this story, I'd no plans to involve Jacob in this. But then there was a change and _Ta Da,_ we have Jacob. Actually I was listening to some old songs and came across _Treat You Better_ by _Shawn Mendes_. I swear it shook my neurons and bombarded me with ideas. The chapters are not exactly related to the song but still it gave me some good ideas. *shrugs* The song is wonderful and the guy is cuuuuteeee! Well not exactly as cute as Rob. Rob is just hot and dashing and sexy and handsome and beautiful... ok I think you get the idea. *coughs* So anyone else like this song or any other by Shawn Mendes?**

 **Now, about the chapter. I know I'd said that the words from the prologue will be in this chapter but that didn't work out. I've shifted them in next chapter which I've started writing. There are some drastic revelations in this chapter. Oh, who am I kidding; the whole chapter is full of secrets and hence the title. I guess now you've a fair idea about the plot of this story. There is a lot to be revealed, yet. Stay tuned. So, what do you think about _evil Charlie?_ It hurt to make him evil but the story demanded that. Don't know what he is upto *shudders***

 **The traffic stats are still increasing rapidly but the responses? _Nada._ It depends on you guys but I still want to know how are you feeling about the story. It's like _Ok, I'm writing and you are reading._ I should know the strong and weak points, shouldn't I? And it's you all who can judge. :) So please take few minutes and leave your REVIEWS. You are free to ask me any questions and PM me any time.**

 **Thank you for reading, following and _favoriting_ this story. To the guest reviewer: You'll know soon, very soon about what happened to our dear Edward and who the green-eyed one was in the prologue. He could be Edward or... there could be some other magic... Hints, Hints... hmmm... I do blabber... LOL.**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	12. Chapter 10: Haunted by the Past

**A/N** **: Hi readers! See, how fast it is. I want to clarify some things, so please, please see me at the bottom.**

 **Lots of thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for pre-reading and editing the chapter. And also for her wonderful suggestions and pretty knowledgeable comments.**

 **Twilight belongs to SM and FY belongs to Kristie... here you go...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 10**

 **BELLA**

December 31, 2016

"I'm fine, Rose... Yes, I'm eating my meals properly... Yes Alice, I _am_ coming there on the 2nd... What?... Guys, please stop fighting over the phone and speak one at a time," I rolled my eyes and Jake snickered. We're on La Push beach and sitting on a big rock when my cell started ringing, the callers being my _ever-so-over-the-top-concerned_ friends. Rose has called and put me on speaker; so they all were shouting, _god-knows-what,_ for me to hear. I was getting really irritated by their unintelligible talk whereas Jake seemed to be having a lot of fun with it.

"Guys, please...," I whined again.

"Bellsieeee... please tell Rosie not to put me in a purple tuxedo. Everything in the wedding is purple. Save me... Oww!" The line went silent after that and I looked at the screen gob smacked.

"Twenty dollars that Blondie banged the shit out of Muscly," Jake laughed loudly. I snorted at him. Jake has very inventive monikers for all of us. He calls Rose- _Blondie,_ Em- _Muscly,_ Alice- _Shorty_ and Jasper _-Brainz._ He must have been listening to them as we were sitting closely together.

"I am with you on this one," I laughed with him. My cell started ringing again, and I answered.

"Sorry Bells. You know how they get," Jasper sighed over the line and I chuckled.

"Tell me about it Jazz." He huffed out a breath and laughed.

"We miss you, Bells. Come back soon."

"I'll be there on the 2nd, Jazz," I assured him.

"So, everything is good there? Are you enjoying yourself" he asked. I thought over his words. _Am I enjoying myself?_ It has been three days since the conversation with Sarah. We haven't talked about any of it since but I was all the more eager to go to S _eventh Street._ My conscience was telling me that there was something hidden there. What it is, I have no idea. But every time I have heard the name, something twitches in my heart. I had thought that it was due to Edward's accident nearby but now I think that's not the only thing. Apart from that, there is the issue of Charles Black, _my father,_ about whom we all were blank. These issues were eating me up inside because I can't talk about them with my friends. We have always shared everything and helped each other solve one another's problems.

"Bella, are you there?" Jasper's voice called my attention back to him.

"Yup... I'm good. Everything is good, Jazz," I cleared my throat.

"Are you sure, Bella? You know you can tell me anything, _Sista_ ,"his old nickname for me brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them back. Jasper was the first man in my life, I had been close to. He was a brother to me in soul and called me _Sista_ whenever he thought I was not feeling good. Lying to him burned a hole in my heart.

"I'm fine Jazz, really. Jake is entertaining me very well." I gave a quick glance in his direction but he had a serious expression on his face, probably due to the change in my mood. I pleaded to him with my eyes and he looked away.

"Yeah, I know he is. That's why I trusted you with him," he snorted as I muttered a ' _yes daddy'_ sarcastically. We ended the call after a pretty loud chorus of ' _HAPPY NEW YEAR, BELLA'._

"Brainz trusted you with me," I told Jake bumping my shoulder to his. He shook his head smiling humorlessly.

"Didn't you tell him that that isn't the case? That I can't make you open up to me as you are still...," He stopped at that and turned his head away. But I knew what he was about to say. I was wrong earlier when I thought that Jake couldn't have feelings for me. In the last three days, he had made those feelings crystal clear which he hadn't done in three years. The thing that annoyed me though, was that these days I was witnessing so many rapid mood changes in our conversations. One minute I was joking with someone, _which is Jake,_ and the next minute a single word douses the happy mood with that same _someone, who again is Jake._ I call these moments ' _Bella special, mood gone crappy moments'._

"Jake you know it's not easy..."

"I know, I know... I'm sorry, Swan. I'll take whatever you can give me," he stood brushing the sand off his pants and started walking towards the house. I stood up quickly and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Will you? Because I don't think you can," I questioned. He rubbed a hand on his face and looked away from me.

"Swan... Just...," he sighed turning to look at me. "It's not that I don't want to give you time. I'm willing to wait forever for you. But I can't bear to look at you when you look like... like you have nothing left in your life. The Swan I met three years ago had a spark in her eyes. I know after _he_ died, it was difficult for you to carry on as if nothing happened. I know you loved him... still love him. But you have to know that this is not the end," he emphasized.

"I know that Jake. I like you too. But I don't want to get involved with you when I still have someone else residing in my heart," I urged him to understand with my eyes.

"I get that, Swan," he freed his arm with a jerk from my grasp and stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders. "That's why I want to help you. Don't you think you'd distance yourself better from _him_ when you are with me? Really with me," he stared at me, his eyes full of intensity which captivated me. This moment reminded me of the same one we had in the kitchen four days ago. "He would want the same for you, Bella." Now I know that he calls me Bella when his emotions are taking a toll on him. "He would want you to move on and have your happily ever after," he whispered, our faces inches apart. His warm breath was fanning over my face and our lips were almost touching.

"Oww!" Jake gasped suddenly and sat on his haunches, holding his hands to the back of his head. That's when I saw a volley ball on the ground.

"Jake, are you alright?" I asked kneeling across him.

"Yeah Jakey, are you alright?" Someone guffawed.

"Son of a bitch!" Jake muttered standing on his feet, rubbing his head. I stood up beside him and saw a man coming towards us. He had long black hair and tan skin. There were wrinkles around his eyes and he looked to be in his thirties.

"It's not my fault. You were so busy making out with this lovely lady," he gave me a wink, eyeing me up and down, "that you didn't hear me calling your name. This was the best way I could get your attention."

"You asshole, I could have gotten a concussion!" Jake exclaimed still rubbing the spot on the back of his head. _The ball must have hurt bad._

"Oh, come on. I know you have a hard _head_ ," the stranger bent his head downwards and quirked an eyebrow suggestively. It took me a few seconds to get his innuendo, and I gaped at him.

"Paul, you are one nasty fucker," Jake narrowed his eyes at him and punched his arm. He then looked at me and introduced the stranger.

"Swan, this asshole is Paul Lahote. Unfortunately he is one of my friends on the Res. Ignore him as he's used to these _foot in mouth_ situations. Paul, this is my... Swan," he stammered in the end.

"My Swan? Wow, is she is a bird? She looks like a lady to me. Maybe it's like that story in which the girl turns into a Swan and vice versa to help the old man..."

"Yes, yes. We know how much you adore those tales," Jake rolled his eyes at him.

"I'm Bella Swan," I held out my hand towards Paul to shake.

"Beautiful," he kissed the back of my hand and I blushed.

"Argh, will you tell me why you are here?" Jake asked irritated. "And stop eye-fucking Swan."

"Chillax dude! I was just saying the meaning of her name," Paul said releasing my hand. "Bella means 'Beautiful' in Italian." Paul announced proudly.

"Oh, I didn't know you had been to Italy or taken any lessons in Italian?" Jake challenged taking my hand in his.

"Hey man, I'm not stealing your girlfriend. So stop acting like your ass is on fire," Paul commented. Jake's hand stiffened in mine.

"She is not my girlfriend, Paul. We are just friends," Jake explained and released my hand.

"Okay..." Paul said slowly as if analyzing the situation. "But she is a girl and your friend. So your _girlfriend,_ " he suggested.

"She is just a friend, Paul. Not my fucking _girlfriend_. Period," Jake shouted, and I startled.

"Ok. Ok. My apologies. I came here to ask you if you were coming to the New Year Eve's party at Sam's tonight? I got home an hour ago from my aunt's house in Port Angeles and heard that you were around. It's been ages since I saw you, fucker and I just wanted to see you," Paul explained.

"Sorry, bro. It's just... I've just have a lot on my mind recently. Yes, I'll be at Sam's. See you there," Jake smiled.

"Cool. So, will Miss Beautiful come too?" Paul asked.

"Go away before I rip you a certain new part of your anatomy," Jake threatened and Paul ran away laughing.

"Motherfucker," Jake muttered.

"Cool down, Jake. Is your head alright?" I asked. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why Swan, my _head_ is all good. You wanna check?" He suggested cheekily. I touched the spot on his head feeling a slight bump.

"I think it's fine. There's a small bump forming but it will..." I stopped as he laughed loudly. I looked at him confused but then recalled his words. _My head is all good. His head. HEAD... Asshole!_

"Jacob Black, run as fast as you can or so help me as I'm going to beat the living daylights out of you," I started towards him as he ran in the direction of his house. His booming laughter was heard all the way back.

* * *

"Jake, I really don't want to go," I whined. We are in his car on our way to his cousin Sam's party. He convinced me to go with Sarah's help, who also helped me shop for a dress to wear. We had gone to a boutique in Forks where she presented me with a burgundy, floor length mermaid cut dress. It has a deep cut with slender strips on the sleeves. I tried my best to pay for it but she refused saying that it was my late Christmas present. I accepted defeat on that note. However, the dress is beyond beautiful.

"Stop whining like a baby, Swan. You look sexy as hell and you are going," he said in a tone which expected no further argument. I huffed out a breath and flipped him the bird.

"Real mature, Swan, " he chuckled.

We reached the party around ten in the evening. I'd met Sam the day after I had come to the Res where he lived with his wife Emily and his son Josh. He was seven years older than Jake. It was a twenty minute drive from Jake's to his place. Like other natives, he has tan skin, black hair and dark brown eyes with a stout personality. He greeted us at the entrance.

"Jake, Bella. It's so good to see you!"

"Hey bro. You'd done a great job with the decorations," Jake slapped him on the back.

"It's all Emily. I swear, that girl is a ball of energy," Sam shook his head.

"And you're complaining because?" Jake asked suggestively, and I elbowed him.

"Ignore him Sam. He and Paul have been spewing a lot of shit today," I glared at Jake. Sam chuckled and invited us in.

"Seriously Jake, sometimes you make me question your age and intellect." I sighed tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Only sometimes?" Someone asked from behind. We turned and saw Paul, grinning ear to ear like the goon he was.

"Speak of the Devil," Jake muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Black?" Paul dramatically shoved his ear towards Jake. Jake gripped his head under his arm.

"Oh, I was just telling Swan about your encounter with Donna," Jake slapped him on his back releasing him.

"You were not!" Paul practically shouted, his face paling.

"You wish," Jake huffed.

"That's not fair, dude," Paul complained.

"I haven't told her the entire thing, yet. But if you don't leave us alone, I think I will," Jake declared. Paul shut up after that and left after mumbling a ' _Happy New Year'_ to me.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Jake," I pointed out once he stopped laughing.

He swung an arm around my shoulder and said, "We are like this, Swan. Don't worry."

"You said that you came to Forks after living a long time in Rochester?. So how come you are so friendly with Paul?" I asked.

"I didn't know him from Forks. We went to college together in Rochester and he told me about his family in Forks. We separated after graduation. I'd last seen him two years ago on my 25th birthday party, whose invitation, which by the way, you declined," he said the last part so quietly that I almost didn't hear him. _Great! Again with a 'Bella special, mood gone crappy moment'._

"Jake...," I started, but he cut me off.

"No, Bella. Let's not talk about it," he released me from his grip.

"Ok, tell me about Donna," I blurted, out of the blue.

"What?" his brows wrinkled as he looked at me questioningly.

"You said Paul had an encounter with someone named Donna. What was it?" I asked hoping that my technique to change the subject worked.

"Oh, that," he snorted. "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you." He danced his eyebrows comically.

"Come on. It's not like I'll tell Paul, anyways."

"Ok fine. Donna Wolosin was our Psychology professor during our first year at the Finger Lakes College. She was young; probably in her late twenties. Paul was head over heels for her. She was pretty; I have to give him that. But boy, did he admire her like mad. He flirted shamelessly with her. Well you may not find the rest of the gory details funny but to make a long story short, she turned out to be married and her husband scared the shit out him. How? That's a story for another day," Jake laughed out loudly, gathering the attention of others.

"Wow. I would have never guessed Paul to be one to fall for a professor," I mused.

"You can't judge a book by its cover," Jake shrugged.

* * *

Despite my earlier notion that I wasn't going to enjoy the party, it worked out quite well in the end. I even danced and got drunk. _Very drunk_ , judging from the giggles emanating from me.

"I asked you earlier, Swan whether you could hold your liquor," Jake whispered close to my ear as we were dancing, or _swaying_ depending on whose perspective it was, back and forth.

"Shut itttt, Jakeyyyy... and daaannncce," I slurred. _Wow, I'm really drunk._

"I think we should go home, Swan," Jake said grabbing my waist tightly to prevent me from face-planting on the floor.

"Na.. Noooo, babe... I jussst starrrtedd tto... haavve fffunnn...," I suddenly laughed.

"Belllaaa... Why didn't you tell me earlier what six straight vodkas do to you?" Jake muttered. Just then we heard it. The countdown for the arrival of 2017 had started. Counting down to the New Year caused my drunkenness to vanish. All I could see was the man in front of me. Not the one with dark hair, dark eyes and russet skin. But the one with green eyes, windblown auburn hair and alabaster skin. I saw his beautiful face giving me that crooked grin that was reserved only for me. I felt his feather-light but manly arms around me and not hot, stout ones. I know I was imagining things in my drunken stupor. But all thoughts left my mind when his lips whispered my name. The countdown was about to end.

 _Three_

I inched my face closer to his.

 _Two_

His sweet breath warmed my insides.

 _One_

I crashed my lips to his and for just a second, my heart skipped a beat, elated.

 _Happy New Year!_

But the moment died as soon as it came and then the lips moving with mine weren't the sweet, rosy ones I thought I was kissing. The hair I had been gripping, God knows since when, was not _auburn hair_. Because the man I was kissing was not _my Edward._ My lips stilled as the realization hit me. But Jacob's continued to move. He bit onto my bottom lip and sucked on it. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling and stood frozen. He must have realized my lack of response because he released my lips and loosened his grip on my waist.

"Bella...," He started.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and shrugged out of his grip. I turned on my feet to leave avoiding his questioning eyes.

As I walked past the beach, I only heard the sounds of fireworks dying away and wondered how many people were still left to be hurt by me.

* * *

January 2, 2017

" _Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Greater Rochester International Airport. Local time is 8:16, and the temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit._

 _For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seats belt fastened until the Captain has turned off the fasten seat-belt sign._

 _On behalf of Delta Airlines and the entire crew, I'd like to thank you for joining us on this flight and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice day!"_

I collected my luggage, and reached the terminal as soon as we were allowed to deplane. I had to get a taxi to take me to Seventh Street which was forty-five minutes away. I deliberately looked around the waiting area, not expecting to see anyone I knew. But because my life was full of last minute surprises, I saw Alice sitting on Em's back, waving at me with both arms high in air.

"Here, Bells. Lookie here... We are here," Alice cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted. I walked towards them, blushing all the way as people turned their heads to look at me.

"What are you both doing here?" I hissed.

"Bella," Alice started as Em put her down. "We wanted to surprise you. Rose and Jazz will meet us at Seventh Street because Rose had to go for a fitting of her wedding dress. So Em and I decided to come here and surprise you. It's not like I don't want to go with Rose but you know fittings are kinda boring. It's fun to shop around but to wear the same dress again and again bored me to tears. That's why..."

"It's nice of you for being so considerate, Alice but I am asking why you were sitting on Em's back?" I asked, effectively cutting off her ranting.

"Oh, that was for your convenience so you could see us. We tried calling your cell, but it was switched off. We also called Jake too, but you'd already left. Speaking of Jake, he appeared too cheery. Like he had won the lottery..."

"Or a girlfriend?" Emmett suggested. I stiffened at his word. _Yeah. Girlfriend it is. Or sort of._

"What is it then, Bella? He tells you everything," Alice smirked knowingly. _How does she... Urgh! Jake and his big mouth._

"I know Jake told you," I shifted on my feet nervously.

"Told us what?" Emmett looked confused.

"That Bella and Jake are dating," Alice said casually inspecting her nails.

"I will so not call it dating. We agreed on a middle-ground!" I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air.

"What the hell! Bella Swan is sleeping with Jacob Black. I never thought that I would see this day," Em feigned wiping a tear.

"Shut up Emmett!" I screeched. "I'm so not sleeping with him. It's... We agreed to explore our relationship but we aren't exactly _dating,"_ I glared at Alice.

"But you will. I know and I'm so happy for you. Jake is a really good guy," she said enveloping me in a hug.

"I don't know Alice," I sighed once she released me. After our kiss on New Year's Eve, Jake, and I quietly left for home. The next day I had a banging headache, and I stayed in bed until the evening. Jake brought dinner for me and had a blinding smile on his face. I tried to tell him what I was thinking when I had kissed him but he stopped me. He said he doesn't want to discuss it and he was ready to explore our relationship slowly. He seemed so confident that I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. I just agreed with what he said. _So much for starting afresh in the New Year._

"Don't worry Bella. Everything will turn out to be alright," Ali smiled gently.

"Come on ladies, we have to reach Seventh Street by ten. Let's get this show down the road," Em cheered loudly.

* * *

The sign, _Seventh Street_ came into view around half past nine. Our project was to construct a shopping center after demolishing three small houses and _The Street Manor._ The area had been uninhabited for years. The land was sold to Mr. Felix Wigzell who had hired us for completing the project. The weird thing was that, he had given us four years to complete it which was unusually long for such a small scale project. I mean come on; a shopping center doesn't require four years for construction.

The project was taken over in November 2014. Edward and I were to look at the site before proceeding further. But in the end, we hadn't visited the site. After Edward... died... After he died, a month later, I was scared of going anywhere near it. Two years passed and nobody dared to touch it. It was because of the stories that the manor was haunted. Both Edward and I didn't believe in those things. I believe what we can see is what is true. After Edward's death, Mr. Wigzell was pressured to drop his idea. But he was a man of commitment. He didn't deter from his deal and asked Carlisle to try to complete the project, and if he was unable to do so in four years, the project would be passed to another firm.

That's why for two years, until two weeks ago, the project had been left to gather dust in Cullen Architecture. Carlisle decided to give it a try, and so he had contacted me. He was hesitant at first because of the tragic past attached with the situation. But I knew that I couldn't avoid it forever. I have to do it. _For Edward._ However, I was looking at it with a whole new perspective after Sarah's tale. The meaning to carry on this project has changed. Now I want to do it to find my own answers.

"We are here," Emmett announced as the car turned into the driveway.

"Great! Hey, I can see Jazz and Rose getting out of their car. What a coincidence that we arrived at the same time," Alice bounced with excitement, exuberance rolling out her in waves. _I wonder why she's so excited._

We exited the car and walked over to them. I left my luggage in the car. I looked towards the sky to see black clouds forming overhead. The weather was colder than in the main part of the city and I was surprised to see there wasn't any snow on the ground. I rubbed my arms and shivered a little.

"Bella!" Rose hugged me as I came to stand in front of her. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Rose." I smiled into her hair. "How are the wedding preparations going?" I asked releasing her.

"Oh, don't ask. As you know, the wedding has been changed to February..."

"What? No, I didn't know it was changed. You had said it was in March," I wondered.

"You didn't tell her, Alice," Rose glared at her.

"Oops! Sorry, Rose. I sort of forgot that," she shrugged sheepishly.

"How can you forget that, Alice Hale!" Rose exclaimed.

"BecauseJaketoldmeheandBellaaredating," Alice blurted out, and I turned to look at her, my eyes as wide as saucers.

"What the... Jacob Black is dating whom?" Jasper shouted.

"Bella," Alice mumbled lowering her head.

"Come again," Jazz stepped forward.

"Ok fine. I'm sorry Bella," she pleaded. "Jake and Bella are dating," I elbowed her in the ribs at that. "Oww! Not exactly _dating_ ," she glared at me rubbing the spot, "but they have a deal to explore their relationship and Jake is over the moon. See. Happy?" She huffed looking at me.

"Far from happy," I hissed.

"Wow!" Jazz whispered absently.

"And why are you so _happy_?" I asked irritated.

"Hey, it's good for you, Bells. You should date. Moreover, Jake is a good guy and I trust him," he pointed out.

"No, you can't date that mutt, Bella. I didn't even invite him to my wedding," Rose whined.

"Umm... I did," Em said scratching the back of his head.

"What!" Rose shrieked. "You are fucking kidding me."

"Rosie..." Em started, but I cut him off.

"Rose it's fine. Jake is our friend and he should be invited," I said honestly.

"Aww... And now she is defending him," Alice laid her head on Jazz's shoulder dreamily.

"Look guys, I'm not dating him. We are just..."

"Exploring our relationship," they chorused and rolled their eyes.

"Ugh, fine. Let's go inside the manor now, shall we?" I proceeded to walk avoiding further embarrassment. _I'm so going to kill you Jacob Black._

I heard them following me. The manor soon came into view but it wasn't what I expected. Unlike the other houses we have to demolish which were dilapidated, this manor was a palace. It looked stately with its huge pillars, and nothing like a place which was believed to be haunted. The paint was still new and the garden outside appeared well-kept.

"Are we at the right place?" Jasper asked.

"Yup dude. I was wondering the same thing. Aren't haunted places a little creepy? This place looks like it is in great condition; I mean even the garden is shining," Emmett commented.

"Haunted?" Alice and Rose shrieked at the same time. _Here we go_. I rolled my eyes internally.

"You didn't tell us this place is haunted. I'm so not staying here!" Alice shouted.

"Me either," Rose seconded her.

I turned to look at their pale faces. "Girls, it's just a myth to keep people away. There is nothing in there. So come on and be brave," I encouraged.

"But Bella..." They both said again at the same time but one glare from me shut them up.

"You know, we should hire you to control them," Jasper whispered and Em nodded. I chuckled and shook my head. We reached the front door and Jazz opened it with the key Mr. Wigzell had given him.

"Holy shit..." Emmett blurted out. _Holy shit, indeed._ The place was fully furnished. The wood flooring was shiny and polished and the walls were pure white. The owner must have had an eclectic taste because the furniture was divine. The dining table, couches and sofas, the center table, the paintings on the wall; all were spectacular. There wasn't a particle of dust on any of it. It was really incredible to see this place so... clean? I can't even see a cobweb for heaven's sake.

"Are you sure no one lives here?" Rose whispered.

"The place had been uninhabited for years, Rose," Jazz answered.

"Then how come it is so well taken care of?" Alice asked.

"Maybe there is a housekeeper we don't know about," I mused.

"This seemed like a correct explanation," Em said examining the dishware on the dining table.

"You shouldn't touch those, Em," Rose hissed.

"Come on babe. It's fun," he whined.

"We should go and freshen up. Then we can see the rest of the site," Jasper suggested. Mr. Wigzell has asked us to stay at the manor when we would come to explore the area.

"Ok. I'll bring your bags, Bella," Em said, and I smiled at him.

* * *

January 3, 2017

It was around two in the morning and I was lying wide awake in my bed. The place had seventeen bedrooms and five were fully furnished with en-suite bathrooms. So we had taken three rooms, two for the couples and one for me. We had explored the area and the other houses and I was damn tired. The king-size bed was comfy, and the room was warm. But sleep seemed to be a lost case for me at this moment.

I sighed and sat up on the bed. My heart had been thundering wildly in my chest ever since I had entered the room. I had a very strange feeling of completeness in here. Like my life was back on track again. There was elation in my every breath. Even the air flowing through the room soothed my nerves. I felt... safe. But I can't seem to decipher, why.

"My name should be _Strange_ instead of Bella," I muttered in frustration and stood up. I opened the French doors to the balcony and walked out.

"Why does my life have to be this strange? Why can't I settle down like my friends? Why can't I have someone to share my life with? Why can't I have my happily ever after?" I questioned no one in particular. "Why can't I have Edward?" I whispered very quietly and a lone tear dropped from my eye. I turned to go back inside the room and wiped off the tear. Closing the doors, I turned to make my way back to the bed with my face lowered towards the floor. But then I stopped dead in my tracks.

Have you ever experienced a situation in which you felt like- 'out of the frying pan into the fire'? That very same thing was happening to me at this very second. My eyes were taunting me to believe what I was seeing, my brain was ordering me to run, while my heart had died and gone to heaven or hell long ago. I was nothing but a shell of my former self and if I were a fly on the wall at this very moment, I would have definitely seen the look of shock and incredulity that marred my features making them paler than they were before. What I was witnessing, out of the blue, was next to impossible.

Somewhere in my heart of hearts, I knew I must be dreaming. That somehow my mind had fabricated this for my own sanity. But then again, the pain that I always used to have in my chest, seemed to be disappearing. The horror on my face must be evident to any outsider. I can't even bring myself to stop staring and move my feet, which were glued to the floor. I was unable to decide whether to bathe myself in the sight before me or run far away and never come back.

But as I looked into those hauntingly familiar green eyes, blackness enveloped me.

* * *

 **Yeah! I kept my word, guys. We finally reached the prologue. Ok, like I said I wanted to clarify somethings for your convenience. I don't know whether you people read author's note or not but... PLEASE READ... Edward and Bella met four years ago in 2012 and Edward died in an accident two years ago in 2014. I'd written that he died four years ago in the previous chapter by mistake. About the ages of characters... Bella is 29, Edward was 31 when he died; Jake is 27; Emmett is 32; Rosalie, Jasper and Alice are 29. Anything else you want me to clarify then please let me know. You can PM me anytime.**

 **One more thing. PLEASE HELP ME to find a fanfic if you can. It had been a while since I read it but it was so good and I'd forgotten the name. It goes like this... Bella and Emmett are siblings who were left by Renee and Charlie (they ran away leaving their children). There is a time gap and then we find out about Emmett's girlfriend Rose. Edward is Rose's brother who had come from England to live with Rose and didn't like Bella at first. But they become involved afterwards. Edward has his own haunting past and Carlisle is a jerk. We have Britward, Badboyward, Tattward in this story. PLEASE, please let me know if you've got it's name.**

 **Thanks for reading this long note till here and finally let's come to the chapter. Do you like it? Kiss between Jake and Bella; just like one in Eclipse. And now we have our green eyes... Dunno what that means... *smirks evilly* What do you think about Paul? Let me know what you think guys; I should get a reward for posting this so soon. PLEASE REVIEW.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, following and _favoriting_ this story. And thanks reviewers for your encouraging words. :) **

**See you soon.**

 **-K**


	13. Chapter 11: Liar And Cheater

**A/N** **: Hey readers! Another chapter. All thanks to my wonderful beta EdwardsFirstKiss who has done its editing so fast. I'll leave you to it, now.**

 **All twilight stuff belongs to SM while this one is all mine. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 11**

 **BELLA**

December 23, 2014

"Mmm... hmm. What's that fucking delectable smell?" Edward hummed appreciatively, biting my earlobe. I was making brownies in the kitchen when he came to stand behind me, with his arms around my waist.

"I thought you would love to eat your favorite chocolate brownies for Christmas...," I trailed off as he started peppering kisses on my neck.

"Mmm... You thought right." I felt his crooked smirk as he sucked on my neck. _Sucking on my neck!_ I pushed myself out of his grip and turned around to slap his chest.

"If you give me another hickey, I'm going to hang you upside down from the ceiling like a real _vamp,_ " I glared at him.

"Hey! Don't you start calling me that. Your _Dear Jacob_ is enough to call me that shit," he snarked back. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"You know, we are about to get married and you won't even allow me to leave a fucking possessive mark on you," he huffed.

"Yeah, because that's what marriage entitles you," I snickered at his silliness.

"Whatever! But Black should know that you're mine." That said, he started towards me and I stepped back until my back hit the counter.

"Edward, it's not the time for your _sexual escapades,_ so please let me make these brownies," I tried to convince him. _Like he would ever listen. I'm about to marry a sex obsessed man._

"Fuck the brownies!" With that he jumped forward and threw me over his shoulder in one swift move.

"You asshole, put me down," I shrieked, hitting him on his back.

"Sorry babe, but I want you more than those fucking brownies." He slapped my ass, and I gasped. But as he put me down and his lips met mine, all protests left my body, and I melted into him. _My man._ The man I was going to marry in two weeks.

Life is bliss; _until it's not..._

* * *

 _Later that day in the evening..._

"Yes... yes I know Mr. Greene but that isn't possible at the moment. We are on Christmas break and I'm on a month's vacation after that for my wedding... Mr. Greene, I understand..." Edward paced back and forth in the living area of our apartment with his hand constantly raking through his hair. He was talking to Mr. Greene, assistant of Mr. Felix Wigzell, who was our dealer for the upcoming project- _Seventh Street._ We were given the instructions to complete it in four years, which was a long time considering the details of the project. Edward and I had decided to see to it after returning from our honeymoon but it seemed that Mr. Wigzell has some issues with that. I touched Edward's forearm to calm him, and he gave me a weak smile.

"I know what Mr. Wigzell wants is important, but we can do it after another month. What's the problem with that?... Fine! I'll do it, but let him know he owes us big time," he ended the call, frustrated. I pulled him down on the couch beside me and entwined our fingers.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Wigzell is one son of a bitch, that's what. Mother fucker!" he cursed loudly, running a hand through his hair.

"Come here," I said pulling his head down on my lap. "Now relax," I urged as I ran my fingers slowly in his soft locks, massaging his scalp. He closed his eyes and the frown between his brows loosened. I stayed quiet for some time so that he could calm down. He looked so peaceful like this with his eyes closed; his long eyelashes almost touching the skin underneath. His chiseled jaw was scuffed by a five-o-clock shadow. I leaned over to press my lips to his forehead.

"I don't know what I would do without you, love," he sighed and sat up.

"You never have to know that," I smiled, pecking chastely on his lips. "Now tell me what happened?"

"Wigzell wants us to see the sites on Seventh Street and provide him with the rough plan for renovation before New Year's. I mean that's fucking insanity, Bella. He has given us four years to work on this and now he wants the draft by New Year's. He is just being a dick," Edward spat.

"Ok... But why do I feel like that's not the entire thing?" I wondered.

"Because the above action would make Wigzell the biggest...," he thought for a second, "No, the _littlest,_ dick in whole New York but what he had asked afterwards would make him the _littlest dick_ on the entire planet," I snorted at that.

"Edward, I think you need grammar lessons. _Littlest_ is not even a word," I trailed off laughing.

"I know but you know what I want to imply," he frowned. I put my head on his shoulder, and he continued. "Anyway, Wigzell's assistant said that if we can't hand over the plans to them by then, they will pass the project on to another firm. One guess which firm he said... James' Firm," he announced when I shook my head.

"What? But... he... he can't do that, Edward. We have a signed contract…" I gaped at him.

"He can, Bella. One of the clauses in contract is that he can withdraw at any time if we haven't started the project. I don't know why Dad agreed to that," he hunched forward with his head in his hands. "So much for a fucking wedding and honeymoon."

"Hey, it's alright. We can go to the sites tomorrow and then work together on the draft. I'm sure Jasper and his team will also help," I suggested, rubbing his arm.

"I don't know, Bella," he turned to look at me. "I have a feeling that this project will not do us any good."

"Come on, Edward. You're not trying to back out, are you? Don't tell me you're afraid of the _Manor's,_ haunted stories," I lowered my voice dramatically.

"Of course not! It's just... I want to give all of my time to you these days... but...," he shook his head.

"Hey, it's okay. It's not like we still won't spend all of our time together. And we will be going to the sites together; so it'll be like a short pre-wedding trip. And if you're good then I think we can explore how _comfortable_ the seats of my car are?" I quirked an eyebrow. He looked at me confused but then an understanding crept into his features.

"I like the way you think, Miss Swan," he smirked.

"Why thank you, Mr. Cullen," I replied cheekily.

"So, now that this is resolved, what do you think about exploring the _comfort_ of our couch?" he leaned forward until my back lay flat on the couch.

"I guess... my smartness is rubbing off on you... Mr. Cullen," I whispered breathless as he brushed the tip of his nose and lips down my throat.

"Mmm... Let's see what else we can rub." And that's how Mr. Wigzell was forgotten for good.

* * *

December 24, 2014

"Edward, I don't like this. I want to go with you," I whined.

"Love, we talked earlier about this and you're not going," he said calmly, taking his keys and cell from the nightstand.

"But I can go for my fitting tomorrow. It's not like I have gained weight and the dress won't fit," I huffed, folding my arms beneath my chest. He pocketed his keys and cell and pulled me by my arm to him. He tilted my face towards him and brushed my hair off from it.

"You know, you're too cute when you behave so stubbornly," he chuckled.

"Edward please, I want to go with you. I'll tell Alice to postpone the dress fitting until tomorrow," I pleaded with my eyes. I didn't want him to go alone. I was having a strange feeling and no matter how much I tried to avoid it, it came back with new vigor.

"Bella, love, I'll be back before your fitting. I told you that I'm not going to let this project interfere with our wedding. You would've gone with Alice alone for the fitting even if I were at home. So what's the difference now? Just pretend that I'm sitting on our _comfortable_ couch waiting for you to come back and explore its _comfort_ once more," he wiggled his eyebrows, and I snorted. But there was still a feeling that was giving me a lump in my throat. Like something bad was going to happen. A tear fell from my eye at that thought before I could even notice its existence.

"Bella," Edward cupped my face and wiped the tear. "What is it, baby?"

"I... I don't know... I... I'm being stup...," a sob broke out of my throat and I gasped.

"Hey," he pulled me to his firm chest as sobs racked through my frame. "Hush, sweetheart, I'm here," he rubbed my back and pressed his lips to my hair.

"I won't go today if you don't want me too," he offered. I looked up at him when I had calmed down a bit.

"Is it possible?" I whispered.

"Everything's possible, love. We will go together the day after Christmas, ok?" he smiled down at me. I gave him my own teary smile, and he pressed his lips to my forehead. "Now, go before Alice comes barging through the door, accusing me of stealing you," he cocked his head and gave me _my crooked smile._ I giggled at that and he released me.

* * *

"I love you," I said with my arms on his shoulder and fingers buried in his hair. "Call me if you need anything."

"Love you too, and yes Ma'am," he leaned forward to press his lips to mine for a quick goodbye kiss. But as his lips met mine, desperation took its toll on me. I pushed myself further into him and kissed him passionately. He seemed to feel my desperation and responded eagerly, his fingers tightly gripping my waist. It was like this was our last kiss and we had to make full use of this last opportunity. _No! I shouldn't think like that. He will be here when I get back._ We separated breathless, and I put my hands on his chest.

"I... Don't know what came over me...," I shook my head.

"Well feel free to do that anytime. Who am I to complain?" he smirked, and I punched his shoulder playfully.

"I love you. Don't ever leave me," I said seriously looking into his green orbs.

"Love you too, baby. And like I said earlier, I'm _Forever Yours,"_ he smiled, and gave me a final peck on my lips.

I turned to open the apartment door and looked over my shoulder. Those endless green pools were the last thing I saw before leaving.

* * *

"If I knew all these preparations would be so trying, I would have eloped," I muttered under my breath as I sat on the chair in the cafe across from Alice.

"Don't be like that, Bella. It was fun. Edward won't know what hit him when he sees you in that dress," Ali cheered.

"Whatever you say Alice," I sighed, once again thinking about Edward and looked down towards my cell on the table.

"You should call him, you know," Alice looked at me sympathetically. I told her about the strange feelings I had been having all day but I adamantly refused to call Edward. I don't want to worry him unnecessarily. Even I know that I'm _worrying unnecessarily._ He was in the safety of our apartment. I sighed and shook my head in denial at Ali's suggestion.

"Ok. Let's have some coffee, and then we can leave you to your Edward?" She cocked an eyebrow, and I snickered.

The waiter came to our table to take our order.

"You want some snacks?" Ali asked.

"No, just...," I trailed off as my cell started ringing, Edward's pretty face filling the screen. My heart soared in my chest and immense relief filled my nerves. "I'll just have black coffee, Ali," I told her hastily and grabbed my phone from the table.

"Hello," I breathed out. "We were just talking about you," I smiled. I expected him to make some smartass comment or to say that he missed me too. But what I heard was the one thing I feared all day. My cell slipped from my hand and I feel my body growing closer and closer to the cafe floor.

Somewhere in my stupor I heard a soft, melodious voice calling out my name while somewhere far, far away I heard one velvet voice whispering _Forever Yours._

* * *

December 25, 2014

"I'm taking her to her apartment, Jazz... No, she is deadly silent... Don't worry I have Rose with me; you stay there with Esme and Carlisle. They need you more... yeah, ok I'll call you later... love you too."

 _Love you too..._ Strange phrase. A lie. But Alice didn't know that this phrase was a lie. I should tell her; I was her friend. I wanted to turn my face to tell her not to lie. But my body seemed frozen in Alice's arm in the backseat of the car. I couldn't move my lips and my throat felt like it was on fire. I wanted to cough but I couldn't. I want to scratch my throat to satisfy the itch there but like the rest of my body, my hands were also immobile. There was so much pain inside me but I can't see any wounds. However, the hollowness of my heart reminded me that the wounds are buried deep inside. I wanted to cry, to shout... to hit something, to throw things... but my senses were rendered useless. My brain was aware of everything around me but my body wasn't co-ordinating with its commands.

"How's Esme?" Rosalie asked quietly from the driver's seat.

"A mess. Jazz says her tears are flowing continuously, and she is having panic attacks almost after every minute. They are trying to calm her down, but she keeps on asking about Edward..." she stopped as I jumped in her arms. "Jesus... I'm sorry, Bella. I won't say his name again, sweetie... please say something," Alice said in a trembling voice. _What does she want me to say? Does she want me to announce how that man cheated me? Lied to me?_

"Esme is pouring out her emotion every second but Bella... she is just numb. I don't think it's good for her. We should shake her to get some sort of a response, Alice," Rose expressed her concerns.

"I don't know, Rose. She is not responding to anything. The only time we get a reaction from her is when any of us say Ed... _his_ name."

"This is such a mess. We were all so happy for these two. How this all ended like this...," Rose sighed.

"I know nothing, Rose. I just hope Bella will be able to pull herself together," Alice responded.

The car stopped after few minutes.

"Come on sweetie, let's get you inside," Alice urged, pulling me out of the car. My feet moved mechanically, like they were not a part of my body. We reached the apartment and Rose unlocked the door.

"We should try to bathe her, and then try to get her to eat something," Rose suggested.

"Ok. Bella, sit here and we'll run a bath for you," Alice said gently and settled me on the couch. They both left the living area and for the first time, in what seemed like a long time, I was alone. _All alone._ My hands move on their own accord to touch the softness of the couch beside me. My senses slowly started to come into action. That's when my ears registered and my fingers met a piece of paper. It was folded and tucked neatly under the cushion. My trembling hands started towards it and I took it out from its hiding place. But as I opened it, the handwriting made my senses come out with a vengeance from their _slumber._ My eyes registered the space around me and _his_ scent assaulted my senses. Tears blurred my vision, but I tried hard to read the words on the paper. _Like the masochist I am._

 _Love,_

 _If you've found this letter, then it means you're sitting on our 'comfortable' couch. Mmm... so fucking comfortable. Anyway, I would advise you to take a deep breath and calm down. I know you'll be mad when you read this._

 _I'm going to Seventh Street to look at the sites and I know I shouldn't do it but please baby don't be angry. I just want to complete this shit as soon as possible so that we can celebrate our New Year peacefully. Please forgive me, my love._

 _Don't worry; I'll be there with you soon; maybe even before you get this letter. Hey, now when I think about that, there wasn't a need to write one in the first place. We could have called each other. Leave it! I've written this shit now so let it be. Bella will understand. Now why had I written my thoughts?_

 _Oops! Sorry for that. You know this passing of notes is one damn interesting concept. I'll write more for you. And you too owe me one fucking letter. And a fucking Bella... Hey, that sounds good. Shit! I got distracted again, woman! Now, where was I? Yeah, so don't be mad, I'll be back soon, and we can have make-up sex and all that shit. Sound good? Well it does to me._

 _In about two damn weeks we'll be married and then you'll be forever mine. I love you so fucking much, Bella Swan._

 _Forever Yours,_

 _Edward_

 _PS: Call me. I want to hear your voice._

I reached for my cell but couldn't find it.

"Where is my cell phone?" I shouted, throwing the cushions off the couches.

"Bella, what is it?" Alice asked alarmed as she and Rose came running towards me.

"I can't find my cell, Alice... You know where it is?" I came to stand in front of her and shook her by her shoulders. She gaped at me. "Don't stand there like that, Alice. Gimme my cell."

"Yours is broken, Bella. You can use mine," Rose offered her cell to me. I snatched it out of her hands and started dialing the number I had memorized by heart.

"Who are you calling, sweetie?" Alice tried to step towards me, but I glared at her and motioned with my finger to stop. I pressed send and cradled the cell to my ear. But there was no response. There was a beeping sound and then the line went silent. The whole room seemed to be bathed in a haunting silence.

"He is not answering, Rose," I told her, giving back her cell.

"Who's not answering, Bella?" Alice asked.

"Edward," Rose whispered, looking up from the screen of her cell and I winced.

"No," I whispered.

"Bella?" Alice hurried to stand by me.

"NO!" I shouted.

"Alice, get her seated. I think she is having a panic attack."

"NO! NO!" I chanted with my hands on my ear. The letter I had in my hand crumpled and fell on the floor.

"Bella, sit. Sit here," Rose urged, and they both made me sit on the couch. _Couch!_

"No!" I pushed them away and stood abruptly. "I can't sit on that. THROW IT AWAY!" I shouted. The doorbell rang and Alice hurried to open the door.

"What's going on?" Jasper shouted.

"I said throw the couch away! Burn it," I shrieked.

"Bella, Bella. Stop it. Everything's fine, _Sista,"_ Jasper cooed in my ear, pulling me into his arms.

"Jazz, throw away the couch. Please throw the couch away!" I sobbed hysterically.

"Sshh... We'll throw it away, _Sista._ Don't you worry. Em, take the couch somewhere else," Jasper commanded. That was the first time I noticed Emmett standing by the door. He stood frozen, looking at me solemnly.

"Dammit! Em what are you thinking? Take the damn couch, will you?" That set him into motion, and he proceeded to do as told.

"Can you see, _Sista_? We're taking the couch away. Tell me what else you want," Jasper murmured in my ear.

"Nothing," I whispered and shrugs out of his arm.

"Bella?" Alice came to stand beside me and put her arm around my shoulder.

"I don't want to live here, Ali," I said quietly.

"You don't have to, sweetie. You can come to live with us," Alice replied.

"For now. I'll find a place for myself, soon." I declared.

"Our place is big enough for you to live, Bells. You don't have to hurry in finding yourself one," Jasper stepped towards us. I said nothing.

"Bella. You ok?" Rose asked cautiously.

"Yes, I'm fine. Let's get out of here," I pleaded to them with my eyes.

Seeing the streets of Rochester passing swiftly through the car's window, my thoughts drifted again to the one man I trusted with my life, who has so brutally broken my trust in him. He was a liar. He cheated me. He had said he wouldn't leave me. But he left. Left me all alone. Left me just like my birth parents and my _muma. I hate him!_

I stopped at that thought. _No, I can never hate him. Because, I love him so much._ I love him, even though he has cheated me. I love him, even though he lied to me. I love him, even if he had died in an accident. I love him, even if he had left me alone. I love him because I'm _Forever his._

That was the first time I realized that I would never get over Edward Cullen.

* * *

 **Phew! That was one tough chapter. Too much angst? Sorry guys, it was necessary for the story to continue. How many of you wanted to kill Edward for going to Seventh Street alone? Well technically he already died so... But I would have, if he hadn't died. Oh, I'm the one who killed him. LOL. PLEASE REVIEW and let me know your thoughts.**

 **I've found that story I'd asked about in last chapter because of EdwardsFirstKiss. She's a life saver. The story is called _To Be Loved._ It's amazing; you can find it in my favorite stories' list if you want to have a look.**

 **Thanks for reading, following and _favoriting_ this. #Suzy-Chapstick: I hope this update was soon enough ;)**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	14. Chapter 12: Hallucinations

**A/N** **: Hi readers. Another fast update! Again huge thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for doing this so fast and for all the valuable suggestions. I've also updated the summary of this story. This chapter gave me really good ideas. Have a look if you want.**

 **Twilight belongs to SM while FY is my own work. Here you go...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 12**

 **BELLA**

January 3, 2017

"Bella. Open your eyes, sweetie," A sweet, melodious voice cooed in my ear.

"I still don't understand why was she on the floor?" another voice wondered.

"She must have fainted. I told you, she wasn't eating properly. Look at her; her cheekbones are poking out of her face," a new voice expressed its concern.

"Hush! Look, her eyes are fluttering," the melodious voice called out. I opened my eyes but closed them again.

"Bella? Open your eyes," Rose urged, rubbing my hand in hers.

"Too much light," I mumbled.

"Close the curtains, Em," Rose instructed. "It's dim now. You can open your eyes." I do as I am told and looked around. Rose and Alice were sitting on either side of the bed, each with one of my hand in theirs. Em and Jazz were standing by the foot of the bed, looking like _Manor Guards_. A giggle bubbled inside me at that and I snorted.

"What's so funny?" Em asked curiously.

"Notfin... Ahem... I mean nothing." My throat was hoarse from sleeping.

"Why are all of you here?" I frowned, sitting up on the bed.

"Are you kidding me?" Jazz raised his hands in exasperation. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?" My brow furrowed.

"That you were spread out on the floor," Em blurted.

"What?" I screeched, sitting straighter.

"So much for spewing word vomit, Emmett McCarty," Alice barked as Rose glared at him.

"What he meant to say is that you were _sprawled_ on the floor," Jazz looked at Em pointedly, "When Alice came to wake you up for breakfast, and you were on the floor. Em's vocabulary is a little weak. Idiot," he muttered under his breath.

"Hey!" Em shouted.

"Any complaints, Emmett?" Rose smiled sweetly at him, _too sweetly,_ and he mumbled out a ' _no'_. "Good. Now Bella, will you tell us what the fuck happened last night that landed you on the floor?"

"I... I don't remember, Rose. I just remember sleeping in my bed...," I trailed off as the memory of green eyes passed my mind. "Edward!" I exclaimed.

"What?" All four of them spoke together.

"Guys, Edward...," I threw the blanket off me and jumped to stand on the floor. "Edward... he is here!" I announced happily. They exchanged wary glances and then suddenly sprang into action.

"Rose, hold her hands. She might have a panic attack... Jazz, I have anti-anxiety pills in my bag. Bring them... Em, fetch a glass of water for her," Alice instructed them and then addressed me. "Sweetie, don't panic, you'll be alright. Just sit down for a minute... Maybe you have a concussion...," she poked my head with her fingers. "Are you disoriented? Any black spots in your vision? How many fingers are these?"

"Alice, here's the water," Em said breathless.

"The pills, Al. Are these the ones?" Jazz barged into the room with Alice's bag in one hand and the meds in other.

"Lemme see," Alice reached out. The situation was so comical that if I wasn't so darn confused, I would have laughed my ass off.

"Guys," I called out.

"Yeah, these are good," Ali said checking the pills.

"What should I do, Alice?" Rose asked anxiously. _Great! I should have known that they wouldn't listen to me._

I cleared my throat and shouted, "Guys!" At once, they all looked at me. _Ha! I knew that would work._ "Thank you for your attention. Will one of you please explain to me, what's going on here?"

"Umm... sweetie. You said that Edward was here... We don't know what do you mean by that?" Alice shifted on her feet nervously.

"Yes, because he was here. He _is_ here," I emphasized. "I saw him last night in this room... He was standing there," I pointed out towards the space across the French doors. "His eyes... I saw his eyes...," I reached out for Ali's hand and shook it. "Alice, I swear he is here!" She looked at me as if she would start crying any second.

"Bells, please sit down," Jazz stepped forward and grabbed my arm gently.

"You... you all think that I'm making up things," I jerked backwards from his hold and addressed them all.

"No, Bella. We trust you...," Rose started, but I cut her off.

"No... No, you don't," I shook my head violently. "He is here. I... I can feel it. My heart... it's like I'm alive again... I felt so complete..." Suddenly, a memory strikes me. "Emmett!" I quickly run to stand in front of him. "Em... do you trust me? I know you do. You... you remember that day at _his_ funeral... when... when you said that it's unbelievable that he is... he is no more," my voice was shaking so badly that it was becoming impossible to speak.

He grabbed my forearms and bent his head down to look into my eyes. "Bells. Please get a grip on yourself. I know it's hard for you as it is that time of the year...,"

"NO!" I jumped backwards, pushing him away. "You don't understand. Remember, Em. Try to remember what you'd said," I pleaded. Tears were now flowing continuously from my eyes. That stopped him for a moment and his eyes glazed as if he was going for a trip down the memory lane.

 **ooOOoo**

 _I was sitting beside his grave, staring blankly at the gravestone and reading the same lines again and again._

" _Night falls, but day dawns to replace it... Grief comes, but will ease the pain... Life ends, but death cannot erase it... In memory, love will always remain..."_

 _Here lies Edward Anthony Cullen, dearest son and friend._

 _06.20.1983 – 12.24.2014_

 _*RIP*_

" _I don't fucking understand!" Em's loud voice broke me out of my reading the stone for the forty-sixth time that day._

" _Em, we all are going out of our minds here, so please shut up!" Alice hissed. "Let's get Bella out of here. Only we five people are left."_

" _Seriously Alice. Don't you get it! Look at that shitty stone... Here lies Edward Anthony Cullen! I mean what the fuck is that? They haven't even found his fucking body to bury, and they are writing this shit instead of finding him!" Em said frustrated._

" _And what do you think, huh? That they will find him alive when his car was found stuck by the edge of the cliff, its door open and the hood stuck to the big rock... Em, the search party has surveyed the whole area. He fell from the cliff when his brakes failed...," Alice hiccupped as her voice broke at the end. But that wasn't the thing that caught my attention._

" _What did you say?" I turned to face them. They looked up at me, wide-eyed._

" _Bella. Sista, let's go. It's time...," Jasper was the first to recover his senses, but I ignored him._

" _Em, what did you just say?" I addressed him directly._

" _I... What Bella? I don't...," He looked genuinely confused. I stood up and came to stand across him._

" _You said his body isn't here. What does that mean?" I asked blankly._

" _Bella, let's get you home. Then we'll tell you everything," Rose spoke for the first time. But I ignored her too._

" _Emmett, tell me. Is what you and Alice just said true? Is his body not here?" I asked again, trying to keep my voice from trembling. How could they hide such a thing from me?_

" _Bella, sweetie. Yes, what we said is true. They didn't find his body...," Alice rubbed my arm, but I stepped back, looking at them with so much anger, that I might burst a vein._

" _And none of you found it necessary to provide me with that information!" I shouted with my hands in my hair, pulling at it wildly. It was like they had betrayed my trust._

" _Sista. Calm down," Jazz soothed coming in front of me and pulling my hands out of my hair gently._

" _Don't touch me," I spat. "You... you are all liars!"_

" _Bella!" Em finally shouted. I turned towards him, and he continued. "Yes, you heard right. We haven't found his body. He might be alive," he cracked a small smile. Hope flooded my senses and I gasped._

" _Yes! Yes, of course he is alive. We have to find him. He must be injured. He... he needs me, Em..." But I was cut-off by a stinging slap to my face._

" _STOP IT, BELLA!" Rose shouted. "He is DEAD. EDWARD CULLEN IS DEAD. Accept it...," she stopped as her voice trembled, tears flowing from her eyes. "Accept it," she murmured, and fell to the ground on her knees. I stood there frozen as a single tear dropped from my own eye. Jazz pushed at Em roughly._

" _What were you thinking, asshole? She was barely making it as it was and now you are encouraging her to believe fucking inane stories," Jasper roared._

" _I'm not making up any stories, fucker! You're not being practical. Having a funeral for a man just days after his death whose fucking body is yet to be found is not practical! Ed would be rolling in his grave... Oh, but he isn't even there," Em countered loudly._

" _Son of a Bitch, I'll kill you," Jasper reached out and grabbed his suit. "Look at her... How broken she is! Instead of supporting her in her grief, you are giving her false hope. You're fucking insensitive," Jasper's nostrils flared._

" _Jazz please. Stop it! Em, you too please don't...," Alice tried to calm them, prying Em's suit out of Jasper's fingers, but couldn't speak further due to her shaking voice. Emmett turned towards me._

" _Bells,"_

" _Don't you 'Bells' her, motherfucker! Don't speak to her until you get some brains inside your head!" Jasper shouted._

 _Emmett looked at him, fuming, but didn't say anything. He turned on his feet and left, God knows where. I just stood there immobile, thinking how on earth we landed in this kind of hell._

 **ooOOoo**

I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to force the memory away that had clouded my mind for few seconds. I looked up at Em, and he too seemed lost in his thoughts.

"Emmett, please say something," I urged. He sighed and shook his head.

"What do you want me to say, Bells? I just don't know... I mean, at the time, it looked like a practical thing to believe but now... It has been too long, Bells. You should move on," he finished quietly.

"Too long," I whispered. The words taste like a bitter pill on my tongue. It could never be too long for me to accept _my Edward._ "But... but guys. I swear I saw him last night. What if he had come here after the accident? This Manor is very near to that cliff... Isn't it possible?" I asked hopefully.

"Bella, I think you should rest. We will talk to Dr. Banner when we get back to the city. Please lie down for a while," Alice tried to convince me.

"What? I don't need a shrink, Ali! I'm fine. You... you think I was hallucinating?" I looked at her suspiciously. Alice looked at Jazz, and he shook his head. "You do? I know you do! Jesus... I'm alright, Alice. I'm not having hallucinations..."

"So, you think Edward is hiding in this Manor and has been living here on his own for two years? Do you even realize what you're saying, Bella," Rose argued.

"At least, it's not impossible!" I exclaimed.

"Bella, what you are implying just doesn't make sense, sweetie. Even if we agree that you saw Edward last night, and he has been living here for the last two years, then where is he now, when we are all standing here arguing? Why hasn't he tried contacting anyone over the past two years?" Alice asked gently. That caught me off-guard. Why hasn't he, indeed? Is he afraid of something? Or was he hurt? He looked just fine last ni... No, I don't know what he looked like because I'd only seen his eyes. Those endless green pools which I would recognize anywhere. Are they right? Was I really that desperate that I began hallucinating? Creating my own Edward. No. That perfection can't be created. And what about that feeling of completeness I had? Now, I couldn't make up that feeling, could I?

I sat down heavily on the bed with my hand on my forehead. Was I really having illusions? Was I demented? I couldn't make him up in my thoughts like that. But why wasn't he here now? That's the million dollar question. Suddenly, everything was crystal clear.

"Because he didn't want me anymore," I replied to Alice softly. It's understandable. I'd always thought how could I be on his level of perfection. I wouldn't blame him if he'd thought that I wasn't worthy of his time of day. Just like I wasn't worthy for my parents' and my _muma,_ or my grandmother.

"Don't be absurd, Bella. I know what you are thinking. Edward loved you irrevocably; even a blind man could see that. Don't start with 'I'm not worthy of his affection' shit," Rose mimed.

"Rose is right, Bella. The love shared between you and Edward was special," Alice came to sit beside me, taking my hand in hers. "What you both had, was _special,_ and that's why it is hard for you to get over him. But sweetie, you can't go on like this. Yesterday, when you told us about Jake, I felt like you have finally moved on. But today, it's clear that we never really move on, Bella. It's a never ending cycle. We try to get over our past but something or someone triggers it again," she cupped my face in one hand as tears welled in her own eyes. "Same happened to you, sweetie. Seventh Street is the dark place of your past. It is making you desperate and you're seeing things that don't exist. That's why we weren't so sure about your agreeing to do this project. You have shown extraordinary courage to come here, and we all appreciate that. I thought you would be broken and lost when Em and I had come to pick you up at the airport, yesterday. But you weren't. I could see some life in your eyes and after talking to Jake, I'd some hope that finally, you could move on." She took both of my hands in hers and pinned me with her gaze. "Bella. No one is lucky enough to get a good person to spend their life with, twice in one lifetime. Edward was no doubt your soulmate, but Jake is a good man. He loves you Bella, even if he hadn't confessed it, yet. We can see it in his eyes. Even Edward was aware of that fact and that's why he felt insecure when you talked to Jake. You're getting a good chance to make a life again. Please don't ruin it."

I sat stunned at her words. It seemed difficult to make out the meaning of them. She wanted me to forget Edward. Can I do that? Can I give myself to Jake? Can I love him? My head was throbbing from the amount of questions going through my head at the speed of light. One moment I was figuring out whether Edward was alive or not, and the next moment I was thinking if I could love another man.

"I'll think about it, Alice. If you all don't mind, can I rest for a while? I have a headache and I want to sleep it through," I asked them quietly.

"Of course, Bella. If you need anything, call me. Jazz and Em will be going to explore the sites further, but Rose and I will be here," Alice smiled, squeezing my hands between hers.

"The project... Oh, I'd totally forgotten about it. I'll come with you, Jazz..." I spoke hurriedly, but he cut me off.

"Uh... huh... None of that, Bells. You rest, and we'll go. We are here for one more day, so you can go tomorrow. For now, just rest," Jazz commanded.

I huffed but agreed. I don't think I would be of much help anyway with so much going in my head.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Rose asked.

"No, I'm good. Thanks, Rose," I smiled at her.

They left the room, and I was once again alone in the confines of these four walls. I sighed and crawled to the middle of the bed to lie down. Looking up at the ceiling, I thought over everything that had happened in the last week. I celebrated my first Christmas and New Year's after two years, outside of my apartment. No matter how shitty that felt at some point, but still, I managed to get out of the apartment. _I mean that counts for something!_ Next, I finally left New York for few days and hung out. No matter, I came to know about a shitty father and other information about my _so-called-family_ during that time. Oh, and not to mention that I was born into a family which has magic in their veins. But I stuck out like a sore thumb and don't have any magical aura in me.

I huffed out a laugh. Magic. The idea seemed sort of funny. I mean if anyone had told me that Jacob was actually a werewolf, I might have believed them. _So, What? I'm crazy for wolves and vamps._ But magic seemed too superstitious for me to believe. It's a foreign concept; like Harry Potter would knock at my door any moment and ask me to join Hogwarts. I snorted and put an arm across my eyes.

All in all, last week was full of insanity. Take that stupid kiss, for instance, which Jake and I shared. I don't want to be arrogant but that wasn't me. I don't know what came over me when I kissed him and gave him the absurd notion that I was attracted to him. It's not as if Jake is unattractive. He is a wonderful man and I know he is good at heart; not to say- smart. I just don't feel the pull towards him. Maybe it was because I am too occupied with Edward's thoughts that I've lost the ability to look at anything beyond him. And that's how my thoughts again land at Edward.

The _whatever-it-was_ I saw last night, was so real that I've started to question my sanity. I said _whatever-it-was_ because except for the green eyes, I hadn't seen a thing. It might be a cat for all I know. _Pfft! Silly Bella, cats don't have tears swimming in their eyes._ Well that was a surprise. _Inner Me_ finally decided to shower her presence upon me.

 _How are you doin' ole friend?_ I greeted her.

 _What? You've started to talk to yourself again, Bella?_ She quirked her eyebrow at me.

 _You know better than anyone that it's good to have introspection,_ I pointed out.

 _Well introspection is good but what you are doing is categorized as fantasizing._ Inner air-quote 'fantasizing'.

 _And will you be so kind to tell me what I'm 'fantasizing' about?_ I asked frustrated.

 _Oh! For instance, green eyes? Ring any bells!_ Inner shrugged.

 _Was I really fantasizing?_ I questioned my little _doppelganger._

 _I don't know; you tell me._ Inner said inspecting her nails, painted in blood-red.

 _But aren't you here for that? To help me figure this out?_ I whined.

 _C'mon Bella. You didn't look like as much of a fool as you're acting right now. I am YOU. You control me. I'm the other part of you. The part that comes into action when you're over the top confused._ Inner stomped her feet angrily.

 _Huh... I didn't think of it like that. So do you think what I saw last night was a figment of my imagination?_ I asked curiously.

 _C'mon doll. Stop questioning me and wrack your own brains._ Inner rolled her eyes.

 _I think... I think it's all in my head. Should I listen to Alice and give Jake a chance?_ I wondered.

 _That also will be answered by you. I'm here to help you think over all of your options. But the final decision is yours. Just remember one thing though. Sometimes, what you can see is not actually what it is. And sometimes, what's left unnoticed is actually the real thing._ I was left pondering on her words as her image and voice died away, leaving me all the more confused.

* * *

At some point during my _introspection,_ I must have fallen asleep. So, when a shrill ringing resounded in my ears, I sat up in the bed, startled.

"Shit!" I muttered, pressing my palm to my thundering heart. I saw my cell ringing violently on the nightstand. I reached out to take it but it stopped ringing as soon as I was about to answer. I flipped through the screen and saw I'd thirteen missed calls from Jake. _Whoa!_ Quickly tapping at his contact, I pressed send and put it to my ear. He answered before the first ring was about to end.

"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN, I fucking swear I'm coming there to give you a good one for what you've done. Thirteen. Thirteen fucking times I called and not once did you answer. So, speak up fast before I come there..."

"Jake, Jake!" I interrupted his threats. "I was asleep. I didn't hear it ringing..."

"I've been calling you since yesterday, Swan. Were you fucking asleep since then?" he hissed. _Yesterday?_

"Jake, I don't know about yesterday. I was out inspecting the sites for the project. I didn't think it rang even once. I had my cell with me the entire time," I frowned.

"Oh, yea! Because I'm fucking lying," he bitched.

"Jacob Black, I didn't say you were lying. So stop cussing at me," I barked back.

"Swan," he huffed. "I don't know. I was worried about you," I could imagine him shaking his head and pacing back and forth.

"You could have called Alice or Jazz or Em or Rose," I offered sarcastically.

"Huh. Why didn't I think about that?" he mused. I chuckled at him.

"So, why were you calling me?" I asked.

"No reason. Just wanted to know if your plane landed safely," he mumbled.

"Oh. Ok. Sorry, I didn't pick up your calls," I whispered.

"No biggie, Swan. So, tell me how's your project going?" Jake questioned.

"Good, I guess," I muttered.

"What? Everything _smooth_?" I giggled at his use of _smooth_ as a synonym for _good_.

"I think some things are _rough_ ," I answered him in his own language.

"Oh, like what?" he snickered.

"Like the walls and floors," I sang.

He snorted. "Good one, babe. No, honestly. What's wrong?" I didn't have an answer for that. So, I said the next thing that came to my mind.

"I was wondering about Billy's connection to Seventh Street," I blurted out.

"What about Billy's connection?" _Shit!_ He didn't know about that part. Sarah had told that only to me.

"Umm... nothing," was my Oscar-winning, excellent response.

"Swan, what the fuck are you hiding? Tell me or I'll ask Mom," Jake warned. _Oh, for heaven's sake!_

"Fine! I'll tell you but hold on a sec." I quickly climbed out of the bed and tip-toed to the door. I opened it and peered into hallway. There was pin-drop silence in the whole Manor. _Wonder what Ali and Rose are doing._ When I was sure that no one was going to hear our conversation, I turned and locked the door.

"Ok. I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully." He hummed in response and I told him all about how Billy had escaped under supernatural circumstances and landed in the Seventh Street Manor. To say he was shocked was an understatement. I heard so many colorful expletives that I can't even imagine existing.

"Calm down, Jake. It's nothing to be that hyper about," I rolled my eyes.

"Swan, you get out of that place immediately. It is full of this ugly magic shit," he demanded.

"Jeez, Jake. I didn't know you were that insecure about this. And don't be superstitious. There's nothing...," I trailed off as suddenly it hit me. _Green eyes! He has to be here._ "Jake, I'll call you later. Try not to blow Sarah's mind with your Spanish inquisition," I ended the call just when he said 'But Swan'. I left my cell on the bed and walked out of the room.

"Rose..." I called out, but there was no response. "Alice..." Again- no response. "Where the hell are they?" I muttered under my breath as I walked downstairs on the humongous staircase. I called their names again, but no one answered. Only my own voice reverberated when I shouted a little too loudly. That shit really made me jump out of my own skin. I mean it's not like I was used to visiting old Manors and hearing the echo of my own voice.

"Well, I guess I'm all alone. I can't believe they left me alone in a supposedly _Haunted Manor,_ " I spoke to myself, once my breathing calmed down. It was actually a good thing that they weren't here. It would make my task easier. No matter how insane that task sounds. After talking to Jacob, my mind was reeling with questions and I had my doubts. I took a much-needed breath and came to stand in the middle of the magnificent living area. The chandelier was directly over my head and it was the first time I noticed its presence.

"Ok. So, I know if anyone hears this, they'll admit me in an asylum. I personally think that I've lost my sanity. So, why don't I try one last thing which will definitely confirm that I've lost my mind? Edward Anthony Cullen," I called out, my voice loud and clear. "I don't care what the other's say but I know with all of my heart that what I saw last night was you. It was not a figment of my imagination; nor was I hallucinating. It. Was. You," I punctuated each word. "I don't know what sort of pleasure you're getting by seeing me on the verge of having a fucking break-down, but please know that you're not fooling anyone by your games." My chest was heaving with the force I was shouting. At this moment, I was past caring whoever in the bloody hell heard me.

"My friends say that you loved me. That what we had, _have_ , is special. But they don't know that you're vying for the title of _World's biggest sadist!_ Yes, you heard me right. That's what you are. If you loved me so much, then why are you hiding? Why are you testing my patience? Why are you not here to hold me, when I'm falling apart," my voice cracked a bit at the end. "I know you were the one who silenced my cell yesterday so that Jake couldn't contact me. Still so insecure, huh? I also know that this is the most moronic thing I have come up with, today. You know why? Because, I love you. Dammit! Yes, I love you," a sob escaped my lips, my hands shaking.

"I tried Edward, I really tried. I threw away your things, wiped out our memories... I even bought myself a new apartment... But what's in here, can't be ignored," I pointed at my chest. "It hurts, Edward. It hurts so badly. I tried telling our friends about that but no one understood. All those fucking days I spent without you, all those nights I cried on my pillow, all those times I spent in therapy with that doctor who kept on ranting bullshit so that I would open up to him... All those fucking people know nothing, Edward. They don't know about what we shared. They don't know the real me. Only you, Edward. Only you know that," my voice trailed off, and I closed my eyes. Every inch of my body was hurting and all of my strength was fading.

"So, for the last time, I'm asking you to come to me. Please, Edward. I can't take it anymore. I love you so much Edward Anthony Cullen," I whispered these words so quietly that my own ears were straining to hear them. "Please..." My legs gave out, and I fell onto my knees on the wooden floor, sobbing loudly. So much pain... What's the point of all this suffering?

After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and wiped at my tears. The Manor was silent. Like the kind of silence that surrounded the space before a storm. There was calmness everywhere. Suddenly, I felt a cold breeze passing through my skin. The hair on the nape of my neck stood erect, and I shivered.

Out of nowhere, a shiny object on the floor caught my attention. I bent forward to examine it closely.

"My ring!" I gasped. My ring, which I'd thrown out of the window at the _Hales,_ but then found again the next day. I remembered pocketing it in my coat but I wasn't wearing that coat now. So, from where did it come from? I picked it up and stood, looking around me. The weather suddenly seemed to be _angry_ and windows were rattling by the slaps of wind against them. Among all this chaos, I noticed my coat lying on the arm of the rocking chair beside the sofa. The same coat in which I'd pocketed my ring.

"Do you want me to wear it?" I murmured, looking at the ring. "I would not have taken it off, but it was one of those things I had to do to try to get over you. If you want me to wear it again, then ok." With that, I slid the ring on my left hand's ring finger where it always belonged.

An electric current ran through my body and I cried out. I lost my balance and fell to floor, face down, a few feet away from where I was standing. My whole body writhed in agony but also a relief flowed through my nerves. It was like my whole body was undergoing a transformation.

Then I felt it. He was here. He was inside me. He was flowing as blood in my vessels. He was the current in my nerves. He was in the air I was breathing. He surrounded me. My heart was about to burst out of my chest. My eyes were strained with so many emotions and my breathing was coming out in pants. But what mattered was the intense relief I was feeling, apart from all my suffering.

The wind picked up speed, and it started raining. I looked up and saw the chandelier shaking badly. I wanted to move away so that it didn't drop on me but I didn't have the strength. Maybe Edward was taking me to his world. At that, all other thoughts left my mind, and a smile grazed my lips. My senses were shutting themselves down and a feeling of bliss sheathed me.

As my eyes began closing, the chandelier coming nearer and nearer to my face was the last thing I saw, and Inner's words flowed through my mind like my last prayer.

 _Sometimes, what you can see is not actually what it is. And sometimes, what's left unnoticed is actually the real thing._

* * *

 **Ok. Deep breaths... Trust me I'll sort this out for good. What do you think? Is Bella losing her mind? I mean c'mon! She was talking to a man who died couple of years ago. Or does he? Oh, and do like Bella's 'Inner Me'? She was kinda cute.**

 **Stay tuned, guys. And PLEASE REVIEW. Let me know whether you like it or not. This chapter deserves it.**

 **Thanks for reading, following, _favoriting_ and reviewing. :)**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	15. Chapter 13: The Impossible

**A/N** **: Hi readers! Next chapter is ready to be devoured. I haven't mentioned the date in the beginning I usually add as this is just the continuation of previous chapter. I will see you guys at the bottom.**

 **Big thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for being my beta, pre-reader and above all a wonderful teacher. I'm still learning a lot from her.**

 **Twilight belongs to SM and FY is all mine. Here you go...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 13**

 **BELLA**

 _Drip!_

 _Drip!_

 _Drip!_

The annoying sound has started giving me a headache. _Where was this sound coming from?_ I wondered. I don't want to open my eyes, yet. The bed was too comfy to give up. It was a bit cold, but the sheets were damn smooth. Though, the vexatious sound hasn't stopped even after ten minutes. Maybe it is coming from a faulty faucet in the en-suite bathroom. The Manor was very old; so faulty faucets were not a surprise. _Wait, a second. Manor!_

"Shit!" I cursed loudly and sat up straight when I recalled the events of last evening. My eyes were heavy, probably due to my long slumber, and my vision was blurred. I rubbed my eyes to get a good view of my surroundings and was left slack-jawed.

"This is a fucking dream, this is a fucking dream...," I chanted and closed my eyes again. For once, I expected Alice to shake my shoulders and demand that I wake up. Slowly, very slowly, I opened one eye, still half-expecting four familiar faces looming over my bed. Alas! That didn't happen.

What I saw was glass. Yup, people; you heard me right. It was like I was caged in a glass chamber. Everything around me was glass. Or was it diamonds? That stopped my train of thought. Why would someone imprison me in a diamond chamber, or as a matter of fact, even in a glass chamber? I touched the bed for support to climb out of it, but _surprise!_ I wasn't in a fucking bed. I looked down and I swear that my eyes bugged out of my sockets when I saw that I was sitting on a slab made of glass, or diamonds or whatever you wanna call it. I move my shaking fingers on it and felt its smooth texture. Weren't diamonds and glass hard? _Hmm... I wonder if it's diamond or glass. I mean it is kinda sparkling._

Finally, gathering my wits, I stood up. My body felt sore; like someone had beaten me up. I tried hard to figure out what could have possibly led me here, but came up blank. The last thing I remember was that I'd gone to the Street Manor with my friends for the Seventh Street project. I explored the sites with Em and Jazz, and then we went to sleep in our rooms for the night. Then how come, I came to this _Diamondotopia! "_ Huh... Nice name for this place, Bella," I said bemused.

Frustrated, I ran my hands through my hair. Instead of feeling my thick brown locks, my hand touched nothing. That was the first time I noticed my body, or the _absence_ of the said body. I was... air? I raised my hand and saw the diamond wall across from me through my palm. _Bloody Hell! My palm was translucent!_

"Genius, your whole body is translucent. You've merged in the air around you," I muttered under my breath. I looked around myself again but all I could see were diamond walls.

"I'm definitely dreaming," I stood up straighter and pinched my hand. Oh, but there wasn't any hand. "Fucking great!" I started walking again, and that's when I heard the annoying sound which had woken me up.

 _Drip! Drip!_

"I so want to kiss each droplet," I cheered happily. Now, I only have to find out where that sound is coming from and then I can work out a way to get the fuck out of this place. My ears... umm... my _untouchable ears..._ strained to hear where the sound was coming from. I realized too late that the sound was coming from everywhere. From every direction. It wasn't even exactly the sound of dripping droplets of water. This sound was like something was slowly, very, very slowly... diminishing? The whole concept seemed to be the definition of _strange_.

I sighed and looked towards my feet. Like my body's other parts, my toes were also translucent. But I could see something silver below them. I stepped back a few feet. It was a large silver line or rather a silver band below the diamond floor. I could also see something white surrounding the band. I sat down and bent my head forward to examine it more closely. The color wasn't white; it was closer to the color of pale skin. _Like my own; or like my skin used to be._ I rolled my eyes at the correction. I adjusted myself on the floor and sat Indian-style. Once again, I looked up to inspect my _jail_.

The diamond walls were not flat. They were uneven; like the other layer began way before the first finished. The ceilings have triangular shape cut outs. Umm... Maybe they aren't triangular. They are more like...

"A solitaire!" I shouted. "Like my ring..." I trailed off, my eyes widening as memories of the previous evening, _the actual previous evening_ , flooded my mind. Green eyes, haunted Manor, Jake's call and pouring my heart out to... _Edward._ I remember the chandelier falling from the ceiling...

"Am I dead?" I gasped, my hands gripping my untouchable throat. No. This was definitely some stupid dream. I... I can't be dead. And even if I were, judging by the lack of the appearance of my body, where was I? Heaven or Hell? I wasn't deeply religious, but even I knew that hell or heaven doesn't look like a solitaire... _Holy shit! My ring. I was in my fucking ring!_

"How the hell is that possible?" I screeched and stood up. The silver band, the pale skin... it was all clear now. The band was the platinum band supporting the solitaire while the pale skin was my ring finger. Somehow I've _managed_ to get inside my ring, however inane as that sounded. My body was still in the Manor, but my soul was trapped in the ring. But again, how was that possible?

I was still flabbergasted by the situation when I heard a noise. It was the deafening sound of wheels skidding on the surface when a vehicle loses its balance. I turned and ran towards that direction. What I witnessed stopped me dead in my tracks. An inhuman cry left my mouth, and I fell to my knees, tears flowing continuously from my eyes.

In the confines of the solitaire, the view changed from diamond walls to a rocky cliff, and I saw an Aston Martin piercing the deadly winds, moving haphazardly along the cliff. I recognized the cliff as the one near the Street Manor. But what brought me on my knees was the man in the driver's seat. A man with green eyes and wind-blown auburn hair. I didn't know how I was able see all this but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was the struggle I saw in his face and the fear in his eyes. Not once, not once I had seen that kind of fear in his eyes. There was desperation in his features. He was struggling to control the car, turning the steering accordingly. My breath hitched when I saw his eyes-widening. I followed his line of sight and my heart almost stopped beating when I saw the humongous rock, directly in the car's path.

"EDWARD!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and stood up to run in his direction. Adrenaline pumped through my veins; my brain was commanding me away, accessing the danger. "Edward," I yelled again, my voice breathless from running. I knew it was stupid of me to stand in front of the giant rock as if I could stop the car by my _hypothetical_ _super human_ powers. I knew I could get myself killed. But at the same time, my life was not important. If the man in the car who was my ultimate lifeline, died then there was nothing left for me, anyway. I even thought that Edward could see me standing here, but his expression said he didn't. I was panting hard, bracing myself for the impact.

But the _impact_ never came. The car passed through my body as if I was thin air. It was like watching a movie in slow-motion. I turned on my feet and saw the car colliding with the rock, the hood thrown up immediately. The car was stuck at the edge of the cliff and the door to the driver's side open, revealing the body of a man covered in blood. He looked unconscious but his eyes were fluttering. If he moved even an inch, he would fall straight in the bottomless trench. I noticed his lips moving and blood gurgled out of his mouth.

That set my frozen feet into motion. I ran towards him, shouting his name.

"Edward," I choked, cupping his face. But I couldn't touch him. My hand disappeared inside his face as I tried to cup it. I sobbed loudly, realizing for the first time that I'd witnessed Edward's accident. "Edward," I yelled again, trying to hold his hand and hoping against hope for him to hear me. I touched my _virtual_ head to his shoulder, crying my _virtual_ tears.

"Be...ll...aaaa." It was a soft murmur, but I heard it. If the moment wasn't so painful, I would have danced in immense happiness at hearing his voice for the first time in two years.

"Edward," I smiled tearfully at him, thinking that he had addressed me. He coughed and more blood came out of his mouth. My heart constricted on seeing him like that.

"I... I...," he took a painful breath. "I'm... sooo...," – _coughs_ – "rrr...yyy...," he gasped.

"No, baby. It isn't your mistake. You... you'll be fine... Edward," I cried, realizing how absurd that sounds. He would never be fine. I didn't even know why I was witnessing all this.

"I... I...," – _gasps_ – "Loo...vvveee...," – _coughs_ – "youuuuuu... hhhh..." With that, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and more blood spurted out of his nose and mouth.

"Edward," I sobbed loudly, trying hard to touch him, and drag him to a safer place.

All of a sudden, his whole body jerked forward and for once I thought I would have him in my arms. But like the car, his body passed mine and fell from the cliff.

"NO!" I yelled. "EDWARD!" I stood at the edge and saw his body, slowly falling down. "EDWARD!" I fell to my knees, sobs wracking my body.

I had seen all sorts of impossibilities, today. However, nothing prepared me for what I saw next. Edward's body didn't fell to the bottom, but disappeared in thin air. Like it wasn't even there moments ago. It reached the middle of the trench and vanished. I stood abruptly and in a reckless move, fell from the cliff. It felt like I was floating in air. I reached the bottom which was covered in pointed rocks and dirt. I don't know why, but I expected to be wounded. There wasn't a scratch on me. Then I remembered that my _real me_ wasn't here. It was a virtual body. I looked around, but saw nothing except the rocks. It was so deep that I couldn't even make out the outline of the car stuck on the cliff above. I wanted to find his body, but it wasn't here. There was no blood on the ground, considering how much blood he had lost.

"How can he just disappear like that?" I whispered to myself. Slowly, I sat down on the rocky ground and lie down on the pointed rocks as if they were my bed. The rocks didn't touch me. I felt numb inside. Completely emotionless. The scene I'd just witnessed played over and over in my mind. But unlike earlier when I felt my heart breaking on seeing what had occurred, now I felt nothing. My tears had dried, and I was looking up at the cloudy sky.

I still don't understand how this all happened or if it was just a dream. One second, I figured out that I was in my engagement ring, and another second, I found myself face-to-face with a moment that had left my life devastated. Finally, I closed my eyes when exhaustion clouded my mind.

* * *

 _Beep!_

 _Beep!_

 _Beep!_

What was it with me waking up to annoying noises? However, I refused to open my eyes as I didn't want to see myself trapped in _Diamondotopia,_ again. Although, I was confused why this _Diamondotopia_ smelled so... clinical? I could smell the medicinal scent like the one you came across in hospitals. _Wonder what this place has in store for me, now!_

I had a sudden urge to scratch my nose, so I proceeded to lift my hand. To my surprise, I found someone, holding it.

"Oh God! Bella? Can you hear me, sweetie?" I heard Alice's voice. _How had Alice found her way to Diamondotopia?_

"Fuck! Is she awake?" _Was that Jake? What was he doing here?_

"Yes, Jake! I swear, I saw her fingers move," Alice replied. There was relief in her voice.

"Swan? Open your eyes, babe!" I felt a warm, heavy hand on my forehead. _Wait, wait, wait! I felt Alice and Jake touching me... That means..._

My eyes shot open, and I immediately felt like I shouldn't have opened them.

"Light hurts," I groaned, my voice hoarse. I heard the sound of feet moving heavily and someone pulled the blinds down.

"You can open your eyes now, Bella," Alice almost pleaded. _Ok, why was she so desperate?_

I opened my eyes slowly this time and Alice's tearful face came in view.

"Why are you crying, Ali?" I rasped and cleared my throat.

"Because you scared the shit out of us, Swan," Jake admonished as Ali wiped her tears. My brow furrowed, and I turned to look at him. That's when I noticed my surroundings. I was in a hospital room. _Well, isn't that just great! From Diamondotopia to a fucking hospital._ I thought sarcastically. There were tubes running around me, and I felt sore.

"What happened?" I asked cautiously.

Jake sighed and motioned for Alice to answer me. I looked up at her, and she swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry, Bella. It's because of us that you're here," her voice cracked at the end.

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"You remember that you'd asked us to leave you on your own because you needed to rest?" I nodded at her after a few seconds when I figured out what she was talking about. "Well, Jazz and Em left for the sites as soon as we left your room. Rose and I prepared food for us but when I went upstairs to call you for lunch, you were asleep. I couldn't find it in me to wake you up from your peaceful sleep. So, I left you undisturbed. When I reached downstairs, Rose suggested going for a walk as neither of us wanted to eat without you and the boys. We thought that we would be back before you woke up," she stopped and closed her eyes.

"It had been almost half an hour, and we decided to return to the Manor. But suddenly, the weather changed, and it started raining heavily. Luckily, we were near one of the houses on the street. We went inside to take shelter and coincidentally found Jazz and Em there, too. For another half an hour, we were trapped in that house. We tried calling your cell, but you didn't answer. When it stopped raining, we made our way to the Manor. But what we found there, I... I couldn't describe what I felt that time," Alice rubbed her hand to her face.

"You were on the floor, unconscious. I don't know how, but the chandelier broke from the ceiling and it was on the floor beside you. The right side of your body and face was covered in blood and glass. Jazz and Em managed to get you into Jazz's car to take you to the hospital. Rose and I packed our bags, locked the Manor and followed them to the hospital in Em's car. Luckily, the chandelier didn't fall directly on you, and I thank the higher powers for that," Alice smiled.

"The doctors said that your injuries are only external and you should recover soon. However, what both we and the doctors don't understand is why you were unconscious for a whole day when you have no head injuries. The doctors attribute it to your fragile body," Alice narrowed her eyes at me. "You bet your ass that from now on, I'll be seeing to the amount of meals you'll have, Missy," she warned.

"So, I was out for an entire day?" I asked, ignoring her last warning. She hummed in response. So, I now knew that I had been dreaming about _Diamondotopia_ and whatever happened there. However, I don't want to ponder on _what happened there_ , yet.

"Ok, but what are _you_ doing here, Jake?" I turned my head towards him. He sighed and sat on the chair beside my bed.

Taking my hand in his, he said, "Shorty called me. Mom and I were already packing to come back to Rochester, the next day. But after Shorty's call, I took the first flight to Rochester and came straight here."

"You didn't have to do that," I whispered.

"The fuck I didn't have to," he huffed. "Swan, I care for you too much to not be here for you when you're in this _excellent_ condition," he arched an eyebrow, and I giggled, but quickly cursed my sudden movement when I felt a stinging pain in my arm.

"Easy, tiger," Ali gently patted my head. "I'll inform the others that you're alright. Esme was worried to death about you."

"What? You told Esme!" I shrieked.

"You don't have to over-react, Bella," she rolled her eyes. "Em called Carlisle to tell him that you couldn't attend work for few days."

"But...," I started to protest.

"No ifs and buts, Swan. Shorty, go tell the _crew_ about the good news. I have it under control here," Jake shooed her away. Ali left the room, smirking at us. _What the..._

"Ok. What was she smirking about?" I asked Jake.

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"Uh... huh... Come again," I narrowed my eyes at him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Swan, I don't think it's the right time for this conversation," he said honestly.

"Try me," I encouraged.

"I... I don't want to lose your friendship, Swan," he admitted nervously.

"You won't," I assured him. But inside I wondered what would make him lose my friendship.

"Bella," and that's when I knew, I shouldn't have encouraged him for this conversation. No good comes out whenever he calls me _Bella_. _Please! I don't want another 'Bella's special, mood gone crappy' moment._

"I know this isn't the right moment, but...," he shook his head and took a deep breath. "Seeing you like this... I... I thought I had lost you. The doctors said that you would wake up soon and that your injuries weren't life threatening, but I... I don't know how to explain it to you, Bella. It was like a part of my body had been ripped out. I felt so damn helpless. There were so many things, I wanted to tell you. I thought... I would never be able tell you those things. I was berating myself for not telling you sooner. But I won't wait any longer. We don't know what is in store the next day, so it's a waste to procrastinate."

"You are scaring me, Jake. Just get it out," I told him anxiously. He took both of my hands in his and pinned me under his gaze.

"I... I planned do this in a more elegant way, and definitely not with you lying in a hospital bed," he chuckled nervously. "But I guess my options are limited, so...," he took a deep breath and whispered the words that felt like the bane of my existence.

"I'm in love with you, Bella Swan." He searched my eyes, like he would find the same feeling there. But he didn't. I stared blankly at him, processing his words.

"Are you kidding me?" I blurted out after a few seconds. He immediately released my hands and stood up.

"What? I just told you that I'm in love with you, and you are asking me- _are you kidding?_ Bella, are you fucking serious?" He yelled. _Shit! I think that wasn't a good response._

"Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't want to blurt it out like that...," I tried to explain, but he cut me off.

"I get it, Bella. You're still hanging on to him, aren't you? I'm a fucking fool to believe Alice," he muttered under his breath.

"Wait! What does Alice have to do with this?" I gaped at him.

"Doesn't matter," he spat.

"Will you tell me already, Jake?" I was getting irritated.

"Fine. She advised me to confess my feelings and convinced me that you are ready to move on. She said you needed someone to rely upon. I'm an idiot to believe her. Because you can never move on, Bella," he barked out. _I was really going to choke Alice to death._

"Jake, I don't know what gave Alice the impression that I'm... ready to move on..."

"Please, stop it Bella. You are clinging to your past so much that you don't want to accept that Edward died two years ago. You are still mourning for him. You are not ready to get over it and look around for others who can love you better than he could have. When you kissed me on New Year's Eve, I thought we could have something between us. Apparently, I got the wrong idea. You deserve better, Bella. But I think you're more than happy to cherish your _fucking dead fiancé_ in your memories," he said the last words with so much venom that my heart burned with pain.

"Jacob," I tried to say something to him, but he left the room abruptly. A tear dropped from my eye onto the pillow. How could he say something so callous? I must have hurt him badly, but what else could I have done? I don't love Jake. I mean, I love him as a friend, but I'm not _in love_ with him. That ship sailed long ago. I don't think I will ever be able to love another man like I loved Edward.

Edward... That bought on a whole new round of memories. Had I really been trapped in my ring? So much had happened in the last few days that it was difficult for me to keep up with everything. I still don't have an answer to what I'd seen in the Manor, two nights ago. And how could I forget those events that led me to this hospital? It was clear that there was something going on within the Street Manor. I had to go back there soon.

I was pondering over these things when the door clicked and a man in white coat stepped in.

"Good Morning, Miss Swan. I'm Dr. Warner. I'm glad to see that you have woken up. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Thank you, Dr. Warner. I feel a little sore and I felt pain in my right arm when I moved it. Though, mentally I'm feeling refreshed," I told him.

He jotted down something on his notebook and prescribed some pills. He left a few minutes later after explaining what I should and shouldn't do for a week. Minutes after he left, the door clicked again and this time a familiar face walked in.

"Oh, dear! Look at you; so pale and thin. Alice was right; you aren't eating properly," Esme chided, sitting on the chair, next to my bed.

"Hello, Esme. It's good to see you too," I chuckled.

"Hush... Don't you try to distract me. You know, how worried I was for you? You're like my child, Bella. Don't you dare to scare me like that ever again," she dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief.

"Hey, Esme. I'm fine now," I reached out for her hand and squeezed it.

"You better be fine. I have lost my one child. I don't want to lose another," her voice shook with worry. Sometimes I do forget that I wasn't the only one who has lost a loved one. She too, has lost her son. I'd lost the only love of my life, but she had lost her only child.

"You won't, Esme," I smiled up at her. "Ok. Enough with the heavy stuff. Tell me about your vacation."

"No, no. We are not talking about me. You say I heard that you went to Forks for New Year's," she asked, flashing me a knowing grin. _Jesus! What else have you done, Alice?_

"Who told you that?" I gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"Alice told me. She also mentioned that you're dating someone called Jacob. Isn't he the one who worked in our engineering department, about three years ago?" Esme asked. She seemed excited about the concept of me dating someone. _Alice Hale! Better brace yourself as no one can save you from the storm that is Bella Swan._

"I'm not dating Jake, Esme. We had an arrangement to explore our relationship which I think ended today," I sighed.

"What do you mean by 'ended today'?" she frowned. Esme was never one to be judgmental, and so I told her what had transpired between Jake and me, minutes ago. Well, except where he not-so-gently expressed his disapproval of me still loving Edward. She looked thoughtful.

"I think you should give that boy a chance, Bella," she suggested.

"What? Esme, how can you say that?" I looked at her incredulously.

"Bella, I know how much you loved my son, and it's hard for you to forget him. But he isn't here as much as we want him to be," she gave my hand a little squeeze. "If you don't ever try to be with someone else, and just keep on distancing yourself from everyone who loves you, you will find yourself in a great depression, dear. For the last two years, you have been doing exactly that. I talked to Jasper, a few days back, and he told me that you're changing. I was happy to hear about your trip to Forks. So, I want you to try one more thing when you're breaking down the walls you have built up around yourself for so long. Give this guy a chance," she spoke softly.

"You know... I always wanted to throw a big wedding for Edward. When you both told us about your engagement... I was on cloud nine," she chuckled with a faraway look in her eyes. "That didn't happen how it should have. Edward was my only child, and I longed for a daughter-in-law and lots of grand-children to dote on. With my son gone, the family I dreamed about became broken. But you Bella; you can fulfil that dream. I still have my child, a daughter, in you. I would love to see you get married, Carlisle walking you down the aisle, your children playing in our backyard, and most of all, you- smiling a big smile seeing them laughing." Tears welled up in my eyes at the beautiful vision she painted. But I imagined all these things with Edward by my side. That alone showed me how impossible it was to forget him. I noticed tears in Esme's eyes as she wiped them. "So, do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" she whispered.

"I don't know if I've the strength to do this, but I'll try for you, Esme," I told her, knowing full well how wrong and false my words sounded.

"That's all I'm asking for," she beamed at me.

The rest of the conversation was light. It was refreshing to talk to someone carelessly. Esme told me about her latest interior design projects and some bitchy, hard-headed clients. We laughed and shared good memories.

"I think I should leave now, dear. As much as I want to sit here all day, I've to get ready for a meeting," she said apologetically.

"It's fine, Esme. Thank you for coming. I hope I will be able to soon join you at work," I smiled.

"You just rest for a while, Bella. Carlisle has warned you not to set your foot on the office premises until your doctor gives you the permission to do so. Oh, and speaking of your doctor, I met Dr. Warner on my way to your room earlier. I spoke to him about you, and you will be glad to know that he said you can go home tomorrow. They want to keep you under observation tonight," she informed me and stood up.

"That's great, Esme. I want to get out of here as soon as possible," I chuckled.

She kissed my forehead and patted my head. "Get well soon, dear. Oh, and nice ring. This green color seems rare. Where did you get it?"

"It's the same ring, Esme, and it's not gr...," I trailed off as I looked at my ring finger. There lay a green stone instead of my solitaire. But something told me not to say anything to Esme about it. "I... I bought it from Forks. It's artificial jewelery. Nothing special," I answered nonchalantly.

"But it's beautiful. Almost like a green diamond. Anyway! Goodbye, sweetheart. I'll try to come tomorrow when it's time for you to be discharged."

"You don't have to, Esme. I'm sure Alice or Rose will be up for giving me a lift to my apartment," I tried to protest.

"Hush you. Let me do my work and you do yours." She left after that.

As soon as she closed the door, I lifted my hand to look at my ring. It seemed familiar, but it wasn't. I turned my hand side-ways, and it glimmered. Now, I wasn't going to question how it is possible, because I've already witnessed so many bizarre things that this paled in comparison. I was already having second thoughts whether the _Diamondotopia_ experience was actually a dream or not. I brought the ring closer to my face to inspect it. To say I was shocked at seeing what I saw, was an understatement. This ring was a carbon copy of my engagement ring. Esme was right; it was a solitaire except it wasn't the usual glass color. It was a green solitaire if that sort of thing existed.

A thought struck my mind, and I took off the ring. And I saw it. The inscription on the inside of the band- _Forever Yours_. It was my ring. _Can a diamond turn green when a chandelier falls from the ceiling next to you?_ I don't have any other logical explanation for this. I looked at the green colored gem again. It seemed strangely familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on what is was.

Defeated, I sighed and closed my eyes. I know there are things to be considered, but I don't want to think about them, yet. So I did the easiest thing and slept.

* * *

January 7, 2017

"Are you sure that you can manage on your own?" Rose asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm positive, Rose. I can manage for one night alone. Go with your Mom and have fun," I smiled at her assuredly. She and Alice had been constantly hovering over me for the last two days and hadn't left me alone for even a moment. _Well, maybe for a bathroom break, but, hey! That doesn't count!_ However, today I could have my freedom. Alice had food poisoning, not that I was happy about it, but at least she had to leave me alone. Rose is my _mama-bear_ for today but apparently, she has to pick up her Mom at the airport who surprised her by visiting unannounced from Canada. Thus, she had to be with her tonight, and I could finally have my much-needed space.

"Bella, you know I can come back after dropping my Mom at the apartment," Rose said as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"No, I will be alright. I promise to call you if I have any problem. You've already fed me dinner, so there isn't much left for me to do. Just go, and say my hello to Chelsea," I pushed her playfully towards the door with my good hand. The other one was still too sore to use.

"Ok, ok. Goodbye, Bells," She hugged me and left hurriedly. Closing the door behind her, I did a girly spin and almost squealed in excitement. I felt like a teenager whose mischievous brain comes into action as soon as the parents leave her home alone.

I checked the time, and it was eight in the evening. Like I said to Rose, there wasn't anything left for me to do. But it felt good to be alone. I hadn't been alone for more than an hour, for the past two weeks. First due to the Christmas, then New Year's, and finally the Manor. The latter reminded me of my bizarre ring. I looked at it on my ring finger and the green stone was glimmering ethereally.

I decided to go to bed early. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. The mirror hanging above the basin revealed my pale face. Rose was right; my cheekbones were poking out of my face. I pinched my cheek playfully and wrinkled my nose at my image in the mirror. Like the _obedient_ image it was, it mimicked my actions. I snorted at my silly observation and started brushing my teeth.

Rinsing my mouth, I splashed my face with water, and wiped it with a towel. As I reached to put the towel back on the counter, my ring caught my attention. Something seemed off. I rubbed my eyes and looked at it again. The green stone was glowing like a sparkler. It looked like something; some kind of light was trying to escape my ring. _Good God! What had I done to it?_

Suddenly, I jostled backwards, and almost lost my balance. But the counter saved me as I leaned against it for support. My ring constricted around my finger and the light continued to increase its glow. A blinding white light filled the bathroom, seconds later, and I shielded my eyes from the impact.

"Ahh!" Someone groaned, and I screamed, startled by the sudden noise.

"Jesus! Bella, don't be afraid, love. It's me. Look at me, baby." I froze hearing those words. It... I don't want to say this, but for the millionth time in a week, I thought... It isn't possible. I didn't want to take my hand off my eyes for the fear of not seeing what I expected to. Not finding out that the voice I just heard belonged to the same face I longed to see.

"Sweetheart, will you please look at me? Take your hand off your eyes, and let me see your pretty face," his velvet voice pleaded. No. It had to be him. No one could have that perfect voice and accent. Slowly, at a snail's pace, I uncovered my eyes; my heart thundering loudly inside my chest.

And finally I saw what I had wanted to see for the last two years. For which, I yearned desperately. For which, I cried and yelled, days and nights. The green eyes that had haunted my dreams and memories. The crooked smile that made my heart skip a beat. And that beautiful face which could only belong to one person in the entire universe. I didn't know if I was dreaming; I was beyond being practical. I just wanted to devour myself in the ethereal sight.

For the first time in two years, I saw the love of my life standing across me. Tears blurred the perfect vision in front of me as I stared into his green eyes. My _Edward's_ eyes.

* * *

 **Yayyy! Edward's here! Who cares from where he came from; he is here, finally. What?... You wanna know from where he landed?... hmm... I guess that's pretty much clear. But I would love to hear your theories on how he landed in there, if you know what I'm saying. Well, what do you say about _Diamondotopia_? Over the top fictional, huh... Jake confessed his feelings... Is he being an ass?**

 **#To the guest reviewer: There are two of you, I guess (as the first one reviewed chapter 14 while the second one started from chapter 5).**

 **To the first one... Thank you for the compliment. Here's your update. I hope you enjoyed it. :)**

 **To the second one... You don't know how deeply moved I am by your encouraging comments. Thank you so much for taking the effort to review almost every chapter. And you're right... People do get lazy to review. But I'm that insecure type, you know. I really doubt myself a lot. I don't know about your comment on me trying to be a best-selling author, but I'm really trying my best to put my imaginations on paper. Thank you so much for your lovely compliments. :) I'm glad you love the chapters.**

 **#Suzy-chapstick: Bella wasn't floating up to the chandelier. The chandelier dropped on her. I think it's clear now in this chapter. And I'm also glad that she said that out loud. Maybe that would be the catalyst for the things which are about to take place. ;)**

 **#sherylb: Is Edward a ghost?... That's for me to know and you to find out... ;) But please know that there will be no vampires. Sorry if that upsets you... I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.**

 **It's refreshing to reply to all the reviews, and it feels good to know your perspective. So please take your time to REVIEW, and let me know your thoughts.**

 **Thanks for reading, following and _favoriting_ this. I hope you all are enjoying. :)**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	16. Chapter 14: The Unbelievable

**A/N** **: Hey readers! Another fast update, just like you all have wanted. Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for this and all other much needed suggestions.**

 **SM owns Twilight while Kristie deserves the credit of all the evil plotting in FY. ;)**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 14**

 **BELLA**

I couldn't believe my eyes. I blinked them rapidly as if trying to push away the image standing before me; to prevent myself from more pain when I would realize that what I was seeing wasn't true, similar to when it happened earlier.

"Go away," I whispered. His brows furrowed.

"What?" he asked confused.

"You heard me," I replied.

"I... I don't understand, love. You want me to go away? But... but why?" he stammered. _Could an apparition, stammer?_

"I don't want to get my hopes up, Mr. Hallucination. So you can go back to wherever you came from," I turned my body sideways and wiped the remnants of tears that had fallen a few minutes ago.

"Bella," he chuckled. The familiarity of that sound set my heart in my throat. I looked at him sideways, and he took a few steps towards me. "Love, look at me," he demanded. A shiver ran down my spine at his commandeering tone. _I can't believe I could be that affected by someone out of my own imagination._ I stubbornly refused to look at him. Pushing my chin up, I folded my hands over my chest. _I'll not cry; I'll not be affected by this, no matter how real he looks..._ That was my mantra.

"Fucking adamant and cute as hell... Don't know how she managed that in one body," he mumbled. _Jeez! Can apparitions cuss?_ "Bella, look at me, and I'll explain everything," he asked gently.

"How can I believe you won't disappear when I tell my friends about you?" I muttered under my breath.

"You're right, love. I can't come out in front of _our_ friends," he surmised, emphasizing 'our'. At that, I turned to face him, losing myself again in his beautiful green orbs.

"Love? Would you hear me out?" he pleaded. I shook my head to clear it of _'Apparition Induced Haze'._

I cleared my throat and asked, "Why can't you come out in front of _my_ friends?" I quirked an eyebrow in challenge.

"That's what we need to discuss, baby," he sighed. He looked exhausted. I still couldn't believe he was standing before me and that he wasn't merely a figment of my imagination.

"Ok, talk. I'm listening," I offered, waving a hand towards him to initiate the conversation.

"You still don't believe that I'm here?" he sounded dejected.

"I don't know. It's difficult for me these days to distinguish between what is real and what is fake," I answered honestly. _I think I have to check in with Dr. Banner. It seems I'm really losing my mind._

"And that's all because of my fucking stupid mistake. If I hadn't been a stubborn asshole and gone to that hell of a place that day, I would be making love to my wife on our two year anniversary," he huffed and raked a hand through his auburn locks. _Wait a second! What did he say?_

"Anniversary?" I swallowed hard.

"Yes. It's January 7; the date on which our wedding was scheduled, two years ago. I wouldn't blame you if you have forgotten it," he smiled miserably.

"I... I didn't forget... It's just that I have had so much on my mind that I didn't even realize that today was January 7," I said defensively.

"It's alright, love. So do you believe that I'm real, now?" he asked hopefully.

"I...," _Do I believe him? I mean, he remembered our wedding date..._ "I don't know...," I trailed off, suddenly finding my bare feet interesting.

"Fuck it!" With that he was directly in front of me. I gasped as he took both of my wrists in one of his hands and pinned them over my head. His other hand caressed my face as I looked at him with my jaw hanging open.

"I have wanted to do this since I saw you in the Manor that night 2 weeks ago," his sweet breath filled my senses, my heart beating rapidly. Slowly, he inched his face closer to mine, our lips almost touching. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions. He trailed a lone finger from my temple, tracing it all the way to my cheekbones and jawline. My breath hitched as he traced a path with his lips, barely touching me. "You still smell the same, love. Freesias...," he inhaled deeply close to my neck, brushing my hair back. I could hear the sound of blood pumping in my ears. "Mmm... strawberries," he hummed appreciatively. He had me pinned to the counter with his thighs, and it was the only thing that was keeping me standing. Otherwise, I would have been a pile of goo at his feet.

"Open your eyes, love. Let me see my beloved's soul," he whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and saw his exquisite beauty. "Beautiful," he murmured, tracing my brows. Gently, he left my wrists he had pinned over my head and cupped my face between his hands. He kissed my forehead, both of my cheeks, the tip of my nose, and finally pressed his lips to mine. I froze. I felt... whole. He was actually here. And he was kissing me. Tears welled in my eyes, and a sob escaped my mouth. He broke his lips from mine and looked at me concerned.

"Love? Are you okay?" he asked, forming sweet circles on my cheeks with the tips of his thumbs.

"Ed...ward...," I choked out.

"Yes, love. I'm here," he smiled.

"You... you're really... here," I hiccuped.

"Yes, love. I am," he brushed his lips on my forehead. And that was enough to set me on fire. I threw myself in his arms, eliminating the little space we had between us. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and locked my hands on his back. Sobs were wracking through my body, but I didn't care. For the first time in two years, I was in the arms of my love.

He gently hushed me, rubbing my back and pressing kisses to my temple. We stood there, rocking back and forth in each other's embrace, which felt like hours but was actually only a few minutes. Eventually, we broke apart, but our bodies stayed close.

"How?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I said I'd explain everything, didn't I? But first you need to take your meds," he arched an eyebrow.

"How do you know about...? Ok. I got it; you'll tell me later," I nodded, and he chuckled.

"C'mon! Let's get you _medicated up,_ " he announced taking a step back but took my hand in his. _Medicated up?_

We stepped outside the bathroom. "I... Would you like some coffee?" I blurted. He laughed softly.

"No, thanks. You go and take your meds. I'll be in your room," he released my hand after placing a kiss to the back of it. But I was hesitant to leave. What if disappeared as soon as I left?

"What?" he asked tilting my face towards him with a finger beneath my chin. I looked up at him under my eyelashes.

"You... Will you be here when I get back?" I whispered.

"Love. I'll be here as long as you want me," he vowed. Somehow I believed him. I nodded and pushed past him to the kitchen.

Grabbing a glass of water and swallowing the pills, I sat on the chair across the counter. I put my head in my hands and rubbed my temple with my fingertips. It was undoubtedly going to be a long night. I wasn't ready to go back to my room, yet. I wasn't ready for the talk Edward wanted to initiate. Hell! I don't even know where he came from. One minute, I was standing in my bathroom talking to my god-damn image, and the next minute- _Whoosh!_ Edward Cullen standing before me in all his glory _._

The last thought reminded me of my ring. I raised my head and looked at my ring finger. My eyes widened when I saw my _original_ ring. Not the bizarre green colored gem. It was my original _diamond colored_ solitaire.

"I don't understand," I mumbled, lifting my hand to examine it.

"I'll explain that, too." I was startled when he spoke suddenly. I turned my head to look at him standing behind me, with his hands in his pockets. That was the first time I noticed his clothes. He was wearing a V-neck, black colored sweater with navy jeans, and black and white-striped sneakers. His hair was in its usual disarray, and his jaw was dusted with light stubble. He looked his usual self; exactly like he had looked two years ago. Like he had never left me; like he never... _died._ I swallowed hard at that word. It's better not to think about that now. Technically, I should be afraid. Oh, yes I was terrified; but not of Edward. I was terrified of what all of this meant.

He looked the same, yet different. The care-free attitude was missing from his eyes. They were pained; like they had witnessed things they shouldn't have. He might have tried to look at ease earlier by cussing and all, but I could see that he was hiding something big. Questions were bombarding my head from every side, but I didn't know which one to ask first.

"Ok, then," I took a deep breath and sat up straighter. "Have a seat and you can start," I motioned for him to sit. I heard the shifting of the chair beside me, and I looked up to meet his eyes. He smiled tightly at me. I leaned on the table and tilted my face towards him.

"What do I tell you, first?" he asked more to himself than me.

"Why don't you tell me where were you have been for the last two years?" I suggested.

"That's a loaded question," he looked away. I reached to take his hand in mine and entwined our fingers.

"What happened that day?" I asked, tracing small circles on the back of his hand. This was one of the things that calmed him. He turned his head and looked at me when he realized that I was asking about the day he _left._

"You won't believe me," he sighed.

"If I can believe that you're sitting in my apartment with me then I think believing the rest of the gory details is pretty obvious," I joked. He shook his head and smiled _my_ crooked smile.

"Fine. When you left that day, I prepared myself to go to Seventh Street. Call it reckless; I just wanted to prove to you that there was nothing wrong in the Manor. I thought if I completed the site work that day, we could finish the rough draft early. That way we would have had enough free time for the wedding. However, we all know how that turned out," he laughed bitterly.

"I found your letter," I told him to distract him from the latter thoughts. He seemed confused for a second, but then realization crept into his features.

"You did?" he seemed shocked to hear that.

"Yea... But why are you so surprised to hear that?" I asked slowly.

"Nothing. It was just... I thought you would rather tear the letter to shreds instead of experiencing more pain," he admitted.

"You know I'm a masochist," I snorted.

"I'm sorry, love," he squeezed my hand.

"I'm not angry, Edward... What happened when you got there?" I asked, again distracting him from that line of conversation. He raked his other hand through his hair, a habit so familiar that it ached my heart. _How I existed without him for so long was beyond me._

"I reached Seventh Street and started inspecting the other three houses there. I took notes and finally set off for the Manor. But when I reached the Manor, I realized that I'd forgotten to bring the keys with me. Dumbest thing I'd ever done. Well, except for going on that fucking Street," he groaned. "I was frustrated but nothing could be done. So, I got in my car and started for home. Unfortunately, that's not where I landed," he chuckled humorlessly.

"I was almost off of that Street when I felt the weather change. Clouds formed a canopy in the sky, and it looked like a storm was near. I accelerated, and the speed of the car increased. But it increased beyond my control, Bella. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't. I turned the steering to avoid hitting a giant rock ahead, but it was as if the rock was a magnet; a magnet attracting me towards it. I panicked. Fucking panicked... Love? Are you listening?"

"Huh... I...," I released his hand in mine and folded my hands in my lap.

"Hey, look at me," he urged, cupping my face.

"I... I saw that...," I whispered shakily. His hand left my face, and he gripped his hair with both of his hands.

"Don't I fucking know it?" he huffed.

"What... how do you know...?"

"Because, it was due to me!" he yelled, and I jumped in my chair. "Yes. It was me who took you into your ring," he pointed at my ring finger. "It was me because of whom your hand is covered in motherfucking bandages," he cursed.

"I... I don't understand," I looked at him flabbergasted.

"There are many things you don't understand, Bella. One of which is that I'm the most selfish fucker on this planet. In this entire motherfucking universe," he swore loudly. He was really getting on my nerves now.

"Edward Anthony Cullen! If you can speak without cussing between every sentence, only then talk to me," I hissed and started to stand, but he gripped my arm and pulled me down onto his lap.

"You know how fuc... irresistible you are when you scold me like this," he caressed my face. I rolled my eyes, and it looked like his previous _emoness_ had finally vanished.

"Don't you dare to sweet-talk me, Mr. Cullen," I warned playfully.

"Why, I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Cullen," I stiffened in his arms at that. His eyes widened as he realized what he had said. "I'm sorry..."

"No, it's... fine," I sighed. _I guess 'Bella's special, mood gone crappy' moments are not reserved only for Jake, after all. Speaking of Jake..._

"Did you silence my phone that day at the Manor?" I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked at me comically and seemed to be taken off-guard.

"Well, I...," he cleared his throat. "I heard Jasper and Emmett talking about you and Jake; so when you were in the bathroom, I sort of... you know how much I _like_ him," he shrugged, scratching the back of his head. He looked so innocent that I just couldn't resist him. I smiled and pecked his lips. Two years ago that action would be a daily occurrence for us. But now it threw both of us off the mark.

"I...," I started, feeling my cheeks heated.

"Sshh... Don't say anything," he said softly. He brought a finger to my cheeks and, like he did earlier in the bathroom, traced them. "I missed this color," he kissed my left cheek. "Mmm... so warm." He rubbed the tip of his nose along my jawline and inhaled deeply. I bit my lip feeling the tingly sensation. "Fuck, Bella. Love? Can I... Can I kiss you?" He looked so unsure of my reply that I felt bad for him.

Instead of answering, I crashed my lips to his. He stiffened for a moment but caught up quickly. One hand travelled to my lower back while the other cupped the nape of my neck. The kiss was slow but passionate. I buried both of my hands in his silky locks. It felt so good to be able to touch him again. I pulled his hair slightly, and he emitted an animalistic growl. _Holy shit!_ That was a fucking turn-on. I pushed myself further into him, and there wasn't an ounce of space left between us. Suddenly, he pushed his tongue into my mouth. I eagerly granted him access, sucking on his bottom lip. He tasted like my Edward. Nothing had changed in two years. There was a part of my rational mind that was asking questions like, _how was it possible for him to be here in person?_ But at the moment, I could not have cared less.

We broke apart, panting hard, when it was difficult to breathe. I moved my hand down to his shoulders, and he held me tightly at my waist. We looked at each other, emotions flowing in our eyes.

"I love you," we spoke at the same time which made us laugh softly.

"I never thought I would be able to do that again," I whispered, putting my head on his shoulder. He hummed in response, running his hands through my hair. We were in our own happy bubble, in pure bliss.

"What did you mean earlier when you said I was in the ring because of you?" I asked, suddenly curious. His hand stopped mid-stroke, and dropped to his side. "It's okay... If you don't wanna tell me, then don't...," I defended quickly, sitting up straight. _Great job, Bella! So much for bursting a fucking bubble,_ I internally scowled at myself.

"No, love. You deserve to know. And that's why I'm here," he smiled slightly. Taking my hand in his, he continued. "I need to tell you a lot of things, Bella. But some of them are not meant to be revealed, yet. There are things that exist but not everyone is allowed to know them. You know this better than anyone, don't you Ms. Black?" he raised an eyebrow in question.

"How would I...," I stopped mid-sentence as his words repeated in my head. _You know this better than anyone, don't you Ms. Black?_ I jumped out of his lap and stood across him.

"How do you know that? Who the fuck are you exactly?" I yelled.

"That's what I'm going to tell you, my Bella," he chuckled.

 _Fuck! My life has become the definition of 'out of frying pan into the fire' situation._

 **ooOOoo**

He looked in the crystal ball and saw a man begging at another man's feet. His lips curled into a devious smile as the scene unfolded before him in his crystal ball. He felt proud. He was about to conquer the whole world in a matter of days. Nothing could stop him, now. His fool of a father was locked up in his chamber. Now, only he was left to be the master. He dipped a finger in the red-colored drink in his hand and stirred it.

Suddenly, the door opened and a weary man stepped in. The man looked afraid to death. His clothes were torn in several places; like he had had to urgently escape from some place.

"Mahastra! Mahastra... I... apologize... Forgive me Mahastra...," the man dropped to his knees, heads down, hands joined together in a praying gesture, pleading anxiously.

Mahastra rose from his seat and stepped towards the pleading man, with his drink in his hand. He stopped in front of the man and lifted his chin up by one of his shoe-covered feet.

"Speak!" He yelled, slowly digging the pointed tip of his shoe in the man's Adam's apple. The man gasped.

"Mahastra... he... he... escaped... She... she's here... she helped him, Mahastra. I... When I reached there... he... he was gone... Only she... she was there... She punished... me... She... said to tell... to tell you... that your... your end is... near... Aahhh!" the man was pushed back with a jerk as Mahastra kicked his throat.

Mahastra started laughing loudly. The walls of the big room reverberated with his laugh. He lifted his glass and threw it at the writhing man on the floor. The glass hit him in the eye and blood started oozing out of the wound.

"She will destroy me! That bitch will destroy me! Let her try. I would be pleased to see her grovelling; her head in the dirt at my feet." Mahastra laughed again. "I will find him. He can't hide from me." With that, Mahastra reached for his crystal ball. He chanted some spells, and the ball clouded suddenly. He looked frustrated. He started the spell again, but the clouds in the ball remained as such.

"NO!" He shouted and threw the ball at the wall across from him. It didn't break; just righted itself in the air and occupied its earlier position at the table. "Ateara!" he shouted.

The door opened again and revealed a burly man, his hands clasped behind his back. He stood before Mahastra, his head lowered in respect.

"Bring the useless shit of my father from his chamber. It's time to put his good-for-nothing old ass to use," Mahastra commanded. The burly man nodded, his gaze shifting to the man writhing on the floor.

"Do you want the same fate as him!" Mahastra yelled, pointing his finger at the man on the floor. The burly man wisely shook his head in denial and left. Mahastra sat in his chair, rubbing his chin, with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Run as much as you can; that bitch can't save you from me forever. I'll find you soon, _Cullen,_ " Mahastra laughed viciously. Just then the man on the floor gasped deeply and took his last breath.

 **ooOOoo**

* * *

 ***grins evilly* So I guess most of you are satisfied by this chapter as now your doubts about Bella ending up or _sleeping with_ Jacob are clarified. I told you guys, I'm all Bellward *sighs* . Now about the ending of the chapter. Any guesses who this fellow is? Who 'she' is? And I think the 'he who escaped' bit is clear.**

 **#sherylb: Stay tuned. Edward will explain himself in the next chapter. :)**

 **#Miller18: I like Jacob but not that much that I land him with Bella. ;)**

 **#tomboygirl2: Definitely an E/B story.**

 **#cheshire15: LOL. I loved your comment. Yup, I think she told Esme that to 'shut her up'. :D**

 **#MARYMARY123 (guest): There are no vampires. Ms. Cliffe... hmm... I like the title. See there's no flashback this time. I'm not that cruel. ;)**

 **#Guest: Lucky number 7... hmm... You know I just noted that. That name was a random pick. :)**

 **I'm so happy to hear from you all. So please continue to REVIEW and tell me your thoughts. I'm here to clarify the confusions. :)**

 **Thank you for reading, following, _favoriting_ and reviewing.**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	17. Chapter 15: Answers

**A/N** **: Hi readers. I know you all are waiting to hear Edward out, so here you go...**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for guiding me and making a better writer out of me with each chapter.**

 **Twilight belongs to SM and FY is all mine.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 15**

 **BELLA**

"How do you know that? Who the fuck are you exactly?" I yelled.

"That's what I'm going to tell you, my Bella," he chuckled. _He fucking chuckled!_

"Oh, really! Then start speaking, asshole," I snapped. He looked surprised at my sudden anger. Well, he should know better than to taunt me like that. He cleared his throat and raked a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you. I should have known better...," he shook his head. "Please sit down, love. I'll explain," he stood and gestured for me to sit.

"I'm ok," I jutted out my chin stubbornly.

"Isabella," he said in an authoritative tone.

"Fine," I huffed and sat down on the chair, my hands folded over my chest.

"Good girl," he teased, and I glared at him. "Right. Sorry." He occupied his earlier position on the chair and sighed.

"Ok. I don't know how to start. There're a lot of things for you to know, but it isn't the right time for you to know everything," he admitted.

"Why don't you start by telling me how you know _my name?"_ I asked sarcastically.

"I heard you talking to Jake... About his step-father Billy...," he waved a hand casually.

"What the... How did you... You weren't even there...," I stammered.

"We both know I was there all the time," he raised an eyebrow, daring me to deny him.

"I _believed_ you were there. I wasn't exactly sure why," I threw my hands up in the air defensively.

"Uh... huh... And my sitting beside you isn't enough proof of me being in the Manor? When did you become so _dim-witted_?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"When you decided to be a first class asshole!" I yelled and stood up.

"Bella," he called, but I didn't turn around and went straight into my room. I locked the door and jumped onto my bed. Burying my face in the pillow, I shouted muffled expletives. After my anger cooled down, I layed on my stomach. I looked at the locked door and guilt started eating at me. How could I be so insensitive? I just got back the only thing I ever desired, and this is what I am doing? Locking him outside; or locking myself inside. I clearly don't deserve him. Tears started forming in my eyes, and I buried my face in the pillow again to hold them back.

I don't know why my temper flared. I was never the one to lose my cool like that. But when he called me by that _cursed_ name, I couldn't control myself. I never wanted to associate myself with that family. I'm Isabella Swan; not Isabella Black.

"You should know better than to think a locked door is enough to keep me away from my beloved." I swear I would have jumped to the ceiling if it had been possible when I heard his amused voice. I sat up straight, not believing that he was standing in my room. I looked to the door, and it was locked.

"How...," I whispered.

"I was getting to that part when you not so gently abandoned me," he playfully chastised, coming to sit across me on the bed. I took a deep breath to calm my thundering heart, hammering against my chest.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have left like that," I sighed. He took my hand in his and kissed the back of it.

"No, love. I too behaved badly. Forgive me," he pouted. _Like I could be angry at him when he was looking at me with puppy-dog eyes?_ I laughed softly and nodded. He smiled widely and bent forward to kiss my forehead. I melted into his soft kiss, and he enveloped me in his arms.

"Are you afraid?" he whispered in my ear, as I put my head on his firm chest.

"Of you?" I felt him nod against my head. "No. Not of you. I'm not even afraid exactly. Just surprised... You know it isn't every day that people barge into a locked room," I teased. He chuckled and kissed the top of my head.

"I hope not. I know you're wondering what the hell is going on...," he sighed.

"You don't have to tell me, you know. I'm just happy to have you with me. Where you came from? Doesn't matter," I confessed, burying myself further into his chest. _God! How I have missed him._

"But you deserve to know, baby. I'm not human. I don't exist," he spoke quietly, but that caught my attention, and I looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"You... What?" I was really confused now. He shifted a little away from me and raked both his hands through his hair.

"Bella. I'm dead," he spoke finally.

"What! But... but you're... Oh! I know you're dead," I calmed down and nodded at him. Now it was his turn to be surprised.

"You do? How?" he frowned.

"Come on! It's obvious. No human can walk through a locked door. You're... You're a... Ghost... But I'm okay with that. I just want to have you with me; to be with you. I don't care if no one can see you except me. I can live with all that as long as we are together," I breathed out. He looked at me comically and then laughed humorlessly.

"As good as that sounds, and as much as I appreciate that, I'm not a _ghost,_ love. That would have been too easy..." he chuckled and shook his head. "I'm... There are no words to describe what I am, Bella. I'm stuck between this life and afterlife. What you're seeing now is only your imagination," he explained. _My imagination..._

"Oh... I... I knew I must be dreaming," I whispered dejectedly, when his words sunk in.

"What?" his brows furrowed. "NO!" he almost shouted when his eyes widened in realization. "Fuck! I'm not explaining it correctly," he climbed off the bed, pacing with his hands in hair. He looked at me and said, "Bella, please know that you're not dreaming. I'm really here. Not here _in real..._ Motherfucking Hell! This shit is confusing," he huffed.

"Wait!" I raised my hand, indicating for him to stop. "Let me get this straight. You're here, but not _here._ I'm not dreaming as you're really here but still not _here_ ," my nose wrinkled at that and I put my hand down. "You're not human, and you're not a ghost. Then...," I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and suddenly got the answer. "You're a vampire...," I looked up at him, eyes wide as saucers. "Or a werewolf. God! Yes, you're; like that movie...,"

"Bella, Bella," he came to sit on the bed again. "No, I'm none of the things you mentioned. Like I said, if I were those things, life would be easy. Ok. I'll try to explain," he once again took my hand in his. "Try to keep an open mind, love. I don't want you to be afraid of me and run away terrified," I nodded, and he continued. "You remember when you were in your ring? Did you feel like you were in two places at the same time?" I nodded as it was exactly what I had felt when I figured out the ring thing.

"Same is with me. Like your soul was in your ring, mine is sitting in front of you," he looked at me to gauge my reaction. But I didn't give anything away.

"I... I don't understand. How is it... How is it different from you being a... ghost?" I wondered.

"When you were inside your ring, were you a ghost?" he countered.

"Of course not," I rolled my eyes at him. "My body was in the hospital but my soul...," I stopped and looked at him slack-jawed. "You mean... your body..."

"Now you get it. Yes, my body is out there somewhere, and it is carrying out all the necessary functions of a human body," he explained.

"Like when I was in the hospital. I was alive, but it was like I was in some sort of coma," I said slowly.

"Exactly," he nodded.

"But how is any of that possible?"

"That's what I was saying. None of it should be possible, Bella. But there are things which are unbeknownst to us. And it's in our best interest to remain ignorant. However, not everyone is lucky enough to stay away from this knowledge. We tend to fall into a vicious circle of evil. Evil which rules our lives and destroys it," he spoke solemnly.

"Edward, please don't talk in riddles. Let me... Please tell me what does all of this mean? I mean I'm already freaking out about your... body... soul... whatever concepts they are. Add these riddles into the mix, and it's all an utter cluster fuck of ridiculousness," I huffed.

"Do you remember your conversation with Jacob's mom?" he asked. I nodded, having no idea where he was going with this.

"She told you about Black's history. Joham Black, the one who created this mess, didn't know what the fuck he was doing. He really messed everything up all the coming generations..."

"Wait! How do you know about Joham? I clearly remember that I didn't mention that to Jake," I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Bella, is it really necessary to interrupt me every damn second? You should know by now that I just know these things. Forget about your talk with Jacob. I had known all of this for a long time, prior to that conversation. And trust me, I can't tell you how," he pleaded. I wanted to argue, but I stopped myself. Pursuing my lips, I motioned for him to continue. He started rubbing soothing circles on my palm.

"Thanks. So where was I?... Yea. Joham. So he destroyed the future generations. And as Mrs. Black told you, your fa... I'm sorry... _Charles Black-,_ " he corrected when I shot him a death glare. That man could never be called my father. "-is devil incarnate. But you can believe that or not, and I'm sorry to say this, love, but you're his daughter. So being from that family line, you've the same magic in you..."

"That's the dumbest shit you've ever said, Edward Cullen," I spat. "I'm not...,"

"I know... I know. You're nothing like him, love," he reached out for my cheek and caressed it. "But you have half of his chromosomal make-up. Charles didn't possess any magic because he wasn't the first child. But you're the _first child,_ and the first girl in the Black family except Swasean," he finished, looking pointedly at me.

"You mean... There wasn't any girl child in the family after Swasean... Whoa," I said incredulously.

"Yes. And just like Swasean, your powers are dormant. And please don't ask me how I know this," he requested, raking a hand through his hair.

"Ok," I squeezed his hand in acceptance. "But are you sure? And if the answer is yes, why tell me this now?"

"Because Bella, only you can find my body. Only you can reconnect my soul with my body to give me my life back. My captor, and before you ask, no, I don't know who he or she is, has my body. He somehow separated my body and soul, but my soul, that is _me,_ managed to escape. Or rather someone saved me. And no, I can't tell you who saved me. That's one of the things you can't know just yet. My captor wanted my soul for some later _work_ , and I swear I don't understand that shit. So after my escape, I found myself at the Seventh Street Manor, and I have been living there ever since; probably waiting for you," he smiled my way and kissed the back of my hand.

My heart was hammering against my chest at hearing his words. What does he expect me to do? How could I fight his _captor_ and release his body? He doesn't want me to go to a fucking magic school, does he? I mean, do they even have admission at this time of the year? Maybe I'll finally get to study at Hogwarts with Harry Potter... Shit! What was I thinking! I have to rescue Edward…

"Bella?" Edward's voice snapped me out of my silly fantasies, and I hummed in response. He shifted away from me on the bed and asked, "Are you afraid?" It was almost a whisper.

"What? Why would I be afraid?" I asked confused.

"Your heart is beating very fast," he pointed.

"And that means I'm afraid?" I quirked an eyebrow and he shrugged a shoulder. "Come on, Edward. I'm not afraid. Why should I be?" I shifted closer to him.

"Of me? Of what I am now? Of what I'm telling you?" he offered.

"But I'm not! I'm just afraid of what this situation will bring to us. I love you, Edward. And I'm willing to have you in any way possible," I confessed. "But I don't know how I'll be able to help you... I mean I've never experienced anything magical, ever..."

"That doesn't mean you can't now. Listen to me, Bella," he started, taking both of my hands in his. "I myself don't want you to go anywhere near this world, but it seems our options are limited. My savior said that if my captor captured my soul, then it will have hazardous consequences. If this was affecting only me, I wouldn't have..."

"Stop it," I took one of my hands out of his grasp and placed my palm on his cheek. "If this was affecting only you, then too, I would have given anything to save you. To have you back in my life," I whispered, lifting his other hand and kissed his fingers that were entwined with mine. He smiled slightly.

"I appreciate that, love. But I don't want you in harm's way," he expressed his concern. I pushed back the hair off his forehead and wrinkled my nose.

"Edward, why don't you leave that part for me to decide? Oh, and if your _savior,_ whose name you are so adamantly refusing to tell me, told you about my powers, didn't he or she inform you how I would access those powers?" I asked.

"You already are using them, love. You have some sort of shield, and _Savior_ told me that as long as I'm with you, the captor can't see me. I know that sounds weird, but _Savior_ is sure of it," he replied. _Hmm... I guess we have to name the 'savior' as Savior for now._

"Mmm... So, my work is to hide you from being found?" I wondered absently. I didn't notice when he laid his head in my lap, and when I started running my fingers through his hair. This seemed so normal, like a routine thing to do, considering all the mysterious things we were discussing.

"Uh... huh...," he closed his eyes. "Saviorsaid that you will know what to do when the time comes."

"It will be interesting if I ever get to meet this Savior _,"_ I mused.

"Savior says that time will come soon," he chuckled.

"And how can you hear _Savior_ from here?" I questioned.

"Because we communicate in my head. And don't ask anything beyond that, love. I can't answer that now," he laughed softly.

"Fine," I huffed, folding my arms over my chest.

"Hey! Don't stop. Your fingers felt good in my hair," he whined.

"Ok," I said slowly, giving him a half-grin. "But you have to bribe me with answers." He opened his eyes and looked at me upside down.

"Bella, you know I can't..."

"I'm not asking you anything about Savior _._ I just want to know about what you said regarding your involvement with my ring," I asked cautiously.

"Oh!" he sat up suddenly. "Yes, that happened because of me reaching out for you. But I swear, love I didn't know the consequences. Saviortold me to get you to wear your ring and also told me where the ring really is. It was the only way for me to reach you. I didn't want to take any risk, so at first I refused. That's why I didn't disturb you after you saw me that night..."

"So it was really you who I saw across the bed, that night," I nodded at my own observation.

"Yes, it was me," he confirmed.

"Then what changed? Why did you decide to come here?" I whispered looking at my hands in my lap.

"You. You accused me of not loving you enough to show my face. Saviortoo taunted me on that matter. And after hearing you pouring your heart out, my decision was made," he declared without any hesitation. I looked to meet his eyes shinning with love for me. He reached out to hold my hand again. This was some sort of connection we always required. It gave us the courage we needed to face the worst of things. I squeezed his hand and smiled slightly. "How can you say that I don't love you? That... that hurt..."

"I'm sorry. I spewed that shit out in anger. No one believed me...," I shook my head.

"So, do you believe it now?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course, I do." His face lit up at that.

He cleared his throat and continued. "So, the ring... I managed to get you to wear your ring again. Saviorsaid that the magic within you would surface with the power of our love. When you wore that ring, my whole being dragged itself inside of it. It hurt a little, but it was bearable. What I didn't know was that you too would be dragged inside the ring. Saviorheard about that from me for not telling me that," he grumbled.

"If you were there, why didn't I see you?" I frowned.

"Dunno. Savior attributes it to your magic. Even what you saw about my accident was due to your own magic. Saviordoesn't know what to say about that. Oh, and only you can see or touch me. That is also because of the magic in your veins," he smirked.

"And you've a problem with _only me_ touching you, because..." I deadpanned. He raised his hands up in surrender and laughed softly.

"I've no problem with that. But do you understand now why our friends can't see me?" he tilted his head a little.

"Yea... Wait! So you basically came out of my ring?" My eyes widened.

"Oh, yea...," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, knowing full well what I was indicating.

"Bloody Hell!" I shrieked and stood on my knees on the bed, hitting him with a pillow. But the pillow passed through him as if he wasn't even there. "What the..."

"Well, I think there are some perks of this half-life. One of which is you can't hit me," he smirked cheekily. _Asshole!_ Then an idea struck me, and I smiled viciously.

"Hmm... let's see... I can't hit you with a pillow, but..." With that I started slapping his arms with my bare hands.

"Shit!" he muttered and jumped out of the bed.

"Yes, you asshole. You could have come out of that ring earlier..." I huffed and climbed out of the bed after him. "I wore that ring all the time and you were in it?" I countered with my hands on my hips. Now I know why the ring glowed with the familiar green color. His eyes! "And I mean all the time..." I glared at him.

"C'mon, love. It's not like I haven't seen you naked," he rolled his eyes.

"But you haven't seen me pee," I screeched.

"Hey! Your ring was on your finger, so how could I see you pee? And we both know you don't... pleasure yourself with that finger... Shit, Bella. I'm...," he sputtered, seeing my face red in rage. Or was it humiliation?

"You're a dead man, Edward Anthony Cullen," I screamed horrified.

* * *

 **LOL. How can you make an already dead man, a dead man? Bella is really mad at him. And Edward? Well now you know he is not a ghost, vamp or wolf. About the captor and savior... I'll leave that for you to figure out, for now. Let your imagination run wild. ;)**

 **Your reviews...**

 **#sherylb: Are the facts clearer now? :)**

 **#Guest: Mahastra... I don't know where you found that but that was just a part of my creativity. LOL. I'm glad to know you're still reading and enjoying. :)**

 **#marymary123: Ed finally told you the basics. I hope you're satisfied to some extent. :)**

 **#Suzy-Chapstick: It will take some time to get to that part. :)**

 **#bettononalice2: I'm really delighted to know you liked it enough to give it a try. I re-read the Sarah stuff but I don't think I mentioned Ephraim died. Really sorry if I gave that impression. Your other questions told me that you really had read them thoroughly. Some of your questions gave me a new perspective to think. So thanks for that. However, you've to wait for your answers. :)**

 **I love to answer you so ask me whatever you like. Please REVIEW and let me hear you.**

 **Now one more thing... I'm addressing this issue at the end so that you don't start hitting me without reading other stuff. My classes are starting in a matter of days, so I'll not be able to update it this fast. I'm sorry, but you have to wait longer than usual. However, I promise to not abandon this story. I WILL UPDATE IT. Please, please try to understand. And I'm still here to answer your questions if you have any.**

 **Thanks for reading, following, _favoriting_ and reviewing. :)**

 **Oh, and I just saw that somebody added this story to a community 'Must Read Twilight'. Huge thanks for that. I can't tell you how much that means to me. :)**

 **Stay tuned!**

 **-K**


	18. Chapter 16: Keyholes

**A/N : Hey readers! So hows life going, huh? Ok, ok. I know it has been a while since I posted, but what can I say? New college, new place, entirely new people and bla bla bla. I'm not going to bore you with stories of my "new" life and will let you go at it ;)**

 **As always this would have not been possible without the valuable help of my guiding lady EdwardsFirstKiss who is still ready to help. Thanks to her, and happy reading! :)**

* * *

 ** _Previously..._**

 _"Shit!" he muttered and jumped out of the bed._

 _"Yes, you asshole. You could have come out of that ring earlier..." I huffed and climbed out of the bed after him. "I wore that ring all the time and you were in it?" I countered with my hands on my hips. Now I know why the ring glowed with the familiar green color. His eyes! "And I mean all the time..." I glared at him._

 _"C'mon, love. It's not like I haven't seen you naked," he rolled his eyes._

 _"But you haven't seen me pee," I screeched._

 _"Hey! Your ring was on your finger, so how could I see you pee? And we both know you don't... pleasure yourself with that finger... Shit, Bella. I'm...," he sputtered, seeing my face red in rage. Or was it humiliation?_

 _"You're a dead man, Edward Anthony Cullen," I screamed horrified._

* * *

 **CHAPTER 16**

 **BELLA**

 _I was running in the hallway; from whom, I don't know. It was dark, and silence was everywhere. A few minutes later, I realized I wasn't running from anyone. I was running towards something; searching for something. Breathless by the running, I stopped in front of a metal door, panting with my palm pressed to the hard metal._

 _I must have applied a little force behind my palm as the door opened with a creak. I gasped as it resounded in the entire silent hallway. I hurriedly went inside, and stood with my back pressed to the door, eyes closed. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I have to cup my hand to my mouth to prevent a cry from escaping when I saw a familiar human body hanging from the ceiling._

 _Ring..._

 _Ring..._

The body slowly faded away as the sound increased. I was dreaming. I opened my eyes quickly and surveyed my bedroom. The noise continued, followed by some hard knocks and cries of 'Bella' coming from the front door. I climbed out of my bed and rushed to open the door.

"Bella! What the hell were you doing? We have been banging on your door for ten minutes now," Rose asked frustrated as she entered my apartment with Emmett. I peered at the clock and saw it was six in the morning.

"Well, what are you doing here this early?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"We wanted to stop and check on you before Rose left for work," Em explained.

"Oh! Sorry, but I was sleeping," I apologized.

"Alright, Bella," Rose replied absently as she took out some jars and packets from her bag.

"What's that, Rose?" I came to stand beside her.

"For your breakfast and lunch," she said dismissively, her eyes on her task.

"I can make breakfast on my own," I rolled my eyes.

"Alice has already given me a hard time for leaving you alone last night," Rose pushed past me towards the kitchen. "So I don't want to risk her calling me _irresponsible_ again," she air-quoted _irresponsible._

"Okay..." I said slowly as I followed her to the kitchen.

"You can anticipate a call from Ali anytime now," Em grinned.

"Shut up," I punched his arm lightly. Like he had jinxed my cell, it started ringing. "Shit!" I rushed to get it from my room after shooting a scowl at a giggling Rose and grinning Em.

"Hello," I breathed into the cell as I answered.

"Isabella Marie! Why would you do that?" Alice shrieked, and I shifted my cell a little away from my ear to shield it. "Why didn't you let Rose stay with you last night? You know how worried I was...,"

"Ali, Ali. Calm down. I'm not a baby to be pampered and whose needs are to be attended to every minute. I could manage on my own for one night, couldn't I?" I rolled my eyes.

"But you're not well...,"

"I just have a sore right arm, Alice. And Chelsea came yesterday, so Rose had to attend to her," I explained.

"Oh! She told me nothing about her mother-in-law's arrival," Alice complained.

"There could be two possible reasons for that. One- maybe Chelsea wanted to surprise Jasper and you. Two- maybe you didn't give Rose time to explain," I offered.

"Huh... umm... ok fine. But are you okay?" _Well that's the million dollar question, isn't it?_ Physically, I was just fine but still sore, but mentally I was a mess. The events of last night came crashing down on me which reminded me of Edward. _Where is he?_ I looked around my room but couldn't find him. _He... he was real, wasn't he?_

"Bella...," Alice's voice came through the speaker.

"Yea...," I cleared my throat. "Good. I'm good, Ali. I've an appointment with Dr. Warner tomorrow morning, so I will probably have permission to go back to work."

"Don't hurry, sweetie. You've lots of personal days saved up, and I don't think either Esme or Carlisle would mind if you take a week or two off," she suggested.

"I know, Al. But I personally want to work again as soon as possible. Oh, and Ali? How are you feeling now?" I asked, remembering her upset stomach.

"Ughh... don't ask. I feel like thousands of rats have died in my mouth," she gagged.

"Umm... That was pretty... descriptive... Ok. So... You rest, Ali. Don't worry, I'll be fine," I assured her.

"Mmm... I'll come to see you when I stop puking my guts out," she hummed. I chuckled at her easiness over the subject 'puking'. We said goodbye, and I walked out of the bedroom to check on Rose in the kitchen.

However, as I stepped into the kitchen, a gasp left my mouth, and my hand flew to my chest in a moment of shock.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Rose rushed towards me, her hands covered in batter. "You look like you'd seen a ghost," she commented. _Oh, only if you knew the half of it, Rose._ I averted my gaze from the sight which shocked me and looked at Rose.

Maintaining my posture, I said, "Nothing...," I cleared my throat. "It's just... I... Emmett was standing in the living room when I left, and now he is sitting at the kitchen table. I was just taken aback by seeing him... there," I blurted out, waving my hand in his direction. Emmett too looked at me curiously for a second but resumed reading the newspaper. Rose gave me a suspicious look and returned to her work. _Ha! Even I know I gave her a lame excuse._

As soon as she turned her back towards me, I glared at the man laughing hysterically at the table. _Now I know for sure that I hadn't imagined him last night._ I walked over to sit beside Em with my head held high. When I entered the kitchen, Edward was sitting across from Em, reading the back of the newspaper in Em's hand. I hadn't expected him to be sitting there, so it had taken me off-guard.

"Are you having a nervous breakdown, Bella?" Em chuckled into the paper.

"Not one I know about," I rolled my eyes.

"Tell him about your sleep-talking tendencies. That will explain the extent of your mental illness," Edward laughed. I don't know why, but I expected Em to laugh at that just like they both used to tease me in the past. But probably, Edward could neither be heard nor seen by anyone except me. That thought brought a moment of sadness as I thought over how I could help Edward. And what would happen if I failed? I... I could lose him forever. All it would take was one mistake. One wrong move and Edward would be gone. I swallowed thickly at that.

A foot nudged mine under the table, and I looked up to meet Edward's questioning gaze. I shook my head and smiled slightly. He raised an eyebrow and then touched two fingers to his lips, passing me a flying-kiss. I blushed and bent my head downwards. His sweet laughter brought a wide smile on my face, and I couldn't help thinking about how my situation had changed overnight. The gloomy thoughts I was having a minute ago would have upset me to no end on any other day. But now, when these thoughts were disrupted by Edward's interference for real, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

"Bella? Are you sure you're fine?" Rose's hand came to my shoulder. I turned my head to look at her. "A few minutes ago, your face was white as sheet and now you are all... red," she frowned. "I think you're running a fever," she touched my forehead.

"I'm good, Rose. It's... The pancakes smell delicious... Mmm... Bring me some, fast. Otherwise, Em will eat all of them," I grinned at her as Em shouted 'hey'!

"Now I know for sure something is not right with you," Rose commented with wide-eyes.

"Huh... What?" My brows furrowed.

"You are asking for something to eat, Bells! It's the first time in two years. You used to find an excuse not to eat. I was beginning to think you have an eating disorder!" she exclaimed. I chanced a look at Edward, but his face was stoic.

"I... I'm just hungry. It has nothing to do with my reluctance towards a meal...," I looked at her pointedly. "Besides, I don't have a fucking eating disorder," I spat.

"Fuck my life," Em gasped, slamming the newspaper onto the table. "Bella Swan said _fuck,_ " he looked at me dramatically.

"What?" I asked confused.

"You haven't uttered a serious cuss word in two years," Rose stared at me gob smacked.

"And now she dropped the F-bomb, Rosie," Emmett clapped happily. I looked at them open-mouthed. Edward was also witnessing this _mayhem_ curiously with his chin atop his folded hands on the table.

I thought over what they said. I was using curse words frequently in my thoughts these days. Edward was alive... _well, a half-alive_ victim of my verbal lashings. If I go back in time to two years ago, I could remember my lifeless body. They were right; I hadn't _seriously_ cursed in front of them since then. Using curse words in speech indicates that you're emotionally engaged in the conversation; whether the emotion was one of rage, happiness, excitement, etc. But I had been emotionless for the last two years. I had become a _workaholic._ I had refused to give myself the time to ponder on my emotions. So, these sorts of _inventive_ words as well as my humor had been missing both inside and outside.

But I could see the development in myself. The last few weeks had started breaking down my shell. Edward's return had been the final nail in the coffin. I could feel all of my emotions. I felt complete. And that's how I realized; I would give anything to have that feeling of completeness forever.

"I think I'm finally breaking the walls down that I had built up for so long," I smiled at Em and Rose.

"That's... that's great...," Rose came forward and hugged me tightly.

"Don't abandon me," Em yelled and jumped forward, grabbing both of us in a massive hug. Rose and I giggled at his excitement. But as I felt another pair of arms wrapping around my waist, I couldn't help but smile.

"Forever Yours," Edward whispered in my ear and kissed my neck.

Maybe I could finally have my _completeness_ forever.

* * *

Rose and Em left shortly after we finished our breakfast. Rose has to attend an early meeting, but she promised to check on me in the evening. It was difficult to calm her when she was in _mama-bear_ mode. She would really make a great mother someday.

"Ha! Finally," I sighed heavily as I closed the door behind them. "I thought she would chain me in my room so that I would follow her orders to take a proper rest," I laughed, turning to look at Edward.

"What?" I frowned as I looked at his thoughtful expression. He was sitting on the couch, looking as handsome as ever, but his brows were wrinkled.

"Nothing," he shook his head and smiled tightly. I came forward to sit beside him on the couch. Putting my head on his shoulder, I took his hand in mine.

"What is it?" I whispered close to his ear. He tilted his head towards me and kissed my forehead.

"I was thinking over some things," he stared at me solemnly. "You really had it bad, didn't you?" he sighed heavily, averting his gaze.

"I... Bad what?" He was making me confused by all this.

"When I was gone... Rose said...," he trailed off.

"Oh," I whispered, sitting straighter. So he was talking about my time without him. But why does it matter now when he is here?

"Why does it matter?" I asked, picking at a loose thread on my shirt.

"Really? That's what you're asking me?" he looked at me in disbelief. I shrugged a shoulder but didn't look up at him. I don't want to remember the moments I spent without him by my side. "Hey, look at me," his fingers met my chin, and he tilted my face towards him. I met his love filled concerned eyes. "I'm sorry," he caressed my face.

"No," I shook my head. "None of this was your fault. I... Please don't apologize. I've realized that some things are bound to happen; we can't control them," I took his face in both of my hands, cupping his cheeks. "I love you, Edward. I'll do anything to save you. What happened before was a bad dream. But now we have awakened, and we have all the time to start afresh."

He took my hands by the wrists and kissed my palms. "How do you make all of this sound so easy?" he smiled at me. I blushed and bit on my lower lip. He moved his face closer and my eyes were glued to his. I was breathless in the anticipation of what was about to happen. "I love you," he whispered as his lips touched mine softly. I moaned as his hands ghosted towards my lower back. Pushing my fingers into his hair, I scratched his scalp with my fingers lightly. "Ugh... Bella," he groaned, and in one swift move, he ushered me onto his lap. "Love... I...," I stopped him from speaking by biting at his earlobe. "We... we should... st-opp...," he managed to speak.

"What?" I distanced myself a little from him.

"Yea," he dragged a hand through his hair. "Love... I... We don't know if it's safe for us to do that...," he waved his hand in circles. "I mean... It has been two years, and I'm not even a human. I... I don't know whether we are even compatible...," he sighed. "It's... It's hard to control myself around you without us kissing, and doing what we were just seconds ago... it's too much."

"Oh," I nodded solemnly and moved out of his lap to stand.

"Hey," he held my wrist. "You're not angry, are you?" he asked slowly.

"Of course not. I don't want to pressurize you. You need space," I replied determined.

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow and pulled me down on his lap. I gasped at his sudden action.

"Edward," I moaned as his lips met my neck. "I would have guessed you're a vampire if I didn't know better," I whispered tilting my neck further to give him more access.

"Mmm... For you my love, I could be anything," he bit gently on my neck.

"Jake is right to name you _vamp_ ," I chuckled and closed my eyes. He stiffened, and his lips left my throat. "What?" I turned my head towards him. He shook his head and motioned for me to get up. "Edward?" I asked cautiously.

"Bella," he stood up suddenly to stand in front of me, his eyes burning with some unknown emotions. "When you were at the manor... I heard Em and Jasper talking about you and Jacob... I mean," he frustratingly raked a hand over his hair and averted his gaze. "Forget it."

"No!" I said out loud and cupped his cheek. "Did you seriously expect me to move on?" I asked quietly. "How can you even think something like that?" I whispered more to myself.

"I'm sorry..."

"No," I turned my back towards him. "Minutes before, we were talking about my life without you. I... How can you stand here and doubt my love for you?"

I heard shifting of feet, and his hands came to rest on my shoulder. He kissed behind my ear and breathed deeply. "I'm sorry, love. I didn't doubt you. I just thought that you would be better off without me...,"

"And who the fuck are you to decide that?" I shouted as I wiggled out of his grip to confront him. He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair.

"I said I'm sorry. It's not like I'm demanding to know more about you both," he shrugged.

"Because there is nothing to know!" I exclaimed. Taking a step forward, I touched his cheek and looked into his green pools. "It has always been you, Edward. Even when you... _left_ \- I loved only you. Jake expressed his desire for us to get together but...,"

"And I'm gonna kill that motherfucking son of bitch for the bullshit he said to you at the hospital," he spat angrily.

"Edward," I rolled my eyes at him.

"So are you happy now?" he asked hesitantly taking my hand in his.

"No," I shook my head, and he tensed visibly. "I'm so elated that I feel like screaming my love for you from the rooftop," I finished and threw my arms around his neck.

"Oh," he chuckled nervously.

"Mmm... Now, do you plan to stand here all day, 'cause my feet are hurting." I complained playfully as I kissed his neck. His hands came to rest on my hips, and he gave me his crooked grin.

"Why, love, I plan exactly to just stand here and suck faces," he teased, and I slapped at his chest.

"Then don't let me interrupt your _stand all day_ game Mr. Cullen. I'm going to shower," I waved dramatically and left. His loud laugh followed me all the way.

* * *

"So...," I said slowly, my fingers massaging Edward's scalp. He looked so much at peace that I hated myself for bringing up this conversation. But it was necessary.

"Mmm...hmm," he hummed, his eyes closed.

"I love you," I smiled and bent my head to kiss his forehead. A wide smile graced his lips.

"Not more than I love you," he teased.

"Edward," I called again, ignoring his teasing. My voice must have indicated my inner turmoil as he opened his eyes to look at me.

"What is it, love?" he said gently taking my hand in his.

"I...," I gulped loudly. "We should discuss our next move, Edward."

"What move?" he asked confused and sat up straight in front of me.

"About your Captor...," I trailed off as realization crept in his features.

"Oh," his brows furrowed. I lifted my hand and brushed it off at his brow.

"I just want to know what would be my role in all of this," I whispered, kissing his forehead.

"Your role...," he tasted the phrase on his tongue. "I... You should stay out of this, Bella," he sighed.

"What?" I asked bewildered.

"Baby," he shifted closer to me and took my hand in his. "I know I asked you to help me but... Last night I thought over things again and feel like I should not involve you in all this...,"

"Shut the hell up, Edward Anthony Cullen!" I forcefully snatched my hand out of his. "I think you have some kind of bloody personality disorder or your _virtual_ brain has stopped functioning. Otherwise you wouldn't have said such nonsense. In what sort of alternate universe have you thought that I would leave you alone to be fed to the wolves?" I glared at him.

"You know you are overreacting, Bella," he huffed.

"The fuck I am!" I stood up angrily. "What do you think you would do, huh? Fight alone? And then what? Disappear again? I'm sorry, but I have been through that shit once, and that was enough for one lifetime. I don't know about you, but I... I can't lose you again," my voice cracked at the end.

"Hushhh! Oh, baby... I'm so sorry...," he carefully stood up in front of me, wiping off _imaginary_ tears underneath my eyes. "We'll do it together... sshh," he hushed me as silent sobs erupted from somewhere within me. He wrapped me up in his arms and hugged me to his chest. We stayed like that for who knows how long, wrapped up in our cocoon of love and fear. _Love_ \- for each other; _fear_ \- of the unknown.

* * *

 _Ringggg..._

 _Ringggg..._

I really have a strong connection between sleep and strange noises. This time the sound, which seemed to be coming from my front door, woke me up. I rubbed at my eyes and tried to shift on the bed, but immediately stiffened as a hand tightened its grip around my waist.

"Shit!" I cursed out loud and turned my face. I realized my head was lying on a firm chest.

"Edward?" I moaned sleepily.

"Don't go," he whispered. I raised my head to look at him and saw his pained expression. That alarmed me.

"What is it?" I demanded.

"If I asked you not to open that door, would you listen?" he asked with his eyes closed.

"Depends on who is at the door?" I raised an eyebrow in question. He sighed and nudged me to get up.

"Of course, you won't listen," he concluded and stood up, facing away from me. My first instinct, which always pushes me to comfort Edward whenever he is upset, urged me to go to him. But another instinct which I had discovered hours ago, which had taught me the art to ignore him whenever he turns into his " _Keep-Bella-Ignorant-of-The-Situation"_ self, commanded me obstinately to leave him be and to find out who the _bell-ringer is_ myself.

Jumping out of my bed, I carefully put on my flip-flops, watching Edward's movements, or lack thereof out of the corner of my eyes. I shook my head to clear off the sleep and stood up to open the " _magic door"._ Irolledmy eyes at that last analogy.

There was a loud knock before I reached the door. I know I should have looked through the keyhole to see who was on the other side, but I think Edward's negligence to tell me this beforehand made me careless.

However, when I saw the monstrous frame in baggy pants standing in front of me, I learned my lesson. _Never open the door without looking through the keyhole; that is what they are meant for._

 **ooOOoo**

A loud crash resounded in the room. Mahastra was pacing like a madman in the big room.

"How much time do you assholes need to fetch his sorry ass?" Mahastra barked.

"Mahastra... He... he- your father... he is surrounded by an invisible sh…shiel... aa..hhh," the timid messenger fell on the floor and screamed in pain. "I- I'm sorr...," he gasped as Mahastra laughed.

"Scream, boy. Scream at the top of your lungs," Mahastra continued laughing as he tortured the man with his magic. "Useless shits," he growled. "And that fucker- _old man_ , you brace yourself as you won't get a chance to defend yourself this time," he yelled and turned to reach his crystal ball. He chanted some spells and glared at the shinning crystal.

"Come on!" he sound frustrated. "Ugh... I will kill you, witch," he shouted and threw the expensive glass vase at the _messenger_ on the floor who died when it hit his head.

"Hide him as long as you can. But know that your shield isn't enough to protect him. _Cullen_ is mine," he seethed.

 **ooOOoo**

* * *

 **Phew! Finally here it is! So guys tell me what do you think? I tried to create some beautiful moments between Bellward here. Now we know only Bella can see and touch him. Who do you think is the _bell-ringer_? Let me know how far your pretty minds can go!;) And then there is this whole Mahastra issue. Again- who do you think he is? Do REVIEW readers; I'm dying to hear from you.**

 **Your reviews...**

 **tomboygirl2: I'm happy you like the cuteness. Even I loved it. :)**

 **Cheshire15: Thank you! :D**

 **bettononalice2: You know I really appreciate the way you interpret my chapters. I'm delighted to read your fresh perspectives. :)**

 **Guest1: Here's the new chapter! Hope I still have you as my reader. :)**

 **marymary123: You can call Savior whatever you want. :) I'm happy to see your indulgence in the story.**

 **Guest2: Ok. I don't know what you think is getting weirder. I'll appreciate if you take the time to elaborate. :)**

 **I love that you all took the time to read it. Thanks for reading, following, _favoriting_ and reviewing. I love to hear you so please REVIEW. :)**

 **There's one change that happened in my life in the last two months. It's not related to the story and you can skip reading it; i won't mind. :) I just want to get it out of my system and as I always say, writing is therapeutic, let me have my moment. Five months back when I first started writing this, I was this whole negative person. I started writing just to escape some disturbing things. That's why even my story began on a sad note. I believe that usually what we write is related to what we are feeling. Don't know if I'm making sense or not, but long story short, I've changed for the better. I met a childhood friend, very close and near to my heart, and he is fantastic. He has this aura of positivity around him that even if we haven't met in person yet, his words always fills me with a new passion. A passion for life. This chapter is dedicated to him, as for the first time since I started writing, I wrote with an optimistic attitude. Thanks to him for that. :)**

 **Well... long note... Sorry for that. ;)**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	19. Chapter 17: Visible

**A/N: Hey people! Here you go with the new chapter.**

 **Thanks again to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this for me. Hope you all enjoy!**

 **Twilight belongs to SM. FY is my own world. ;)**

* * *

 _ **Previously...**_

 _"What is it?" I demanded._

 _"If I asked you not to open that door, would you listen?" he asked with his eyes closed._

 _"Depends on who is at the door?" I raised an eyebrow in question. He sighed and nudged me to get up._

 _"Of course, you won't listen," he concluded and stood up, facing away from me. My first instinct, which always pushes me to comfort Edward whenever he is upset, urged me to go to him. But another instinct which I had discovered hours ago, which had taught me the art to ignore him whenever he turns into his "Keep-Bella-Ignorant-of-The-Situation" self, commanded me obstinately to leave him be and to find out who the bell-ringer is myself._

 _Jumping out of my bed, I carefully put on my flip-flops, watching Edward's movements, or lack thereof out of the corner of my eyes. I shook my head to clear off the sleep and stood up to open the "magic door". Irolledmy eyes at that last analogy._

 _There was a loud knock before I reached the door. I know I should have looked through the keyhole to see who was on the other side, but I think Edward's negligence to tell me this beforehand made me careless._

 _However, when I saw the monstrous frame in baggy pants standing in front of me, I learned my lesson. Never open the door without looking through the keyhole; that is what they are meant for._

* * *

 **CHAPTER 17**

 **BELLA**

"Hey," the monstrous man smiled softly.

"What brings you here, Jake," I motioned him into the room.

"I wanted to apologize," he answered in a low voice, his eyes lowered towards the ground.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Jake. Did you hurt me? Yes, you did. But I was at fault too. I should have informed you about my feelings towards you aren't anywhere near what you feel for me. I am the one who should be sorry," I moved towards him and rubbed his shoulder, half-hugging him.

"No. You don't owe me an apology, Swan. It's just...," he huffed and moved out of my grip to sit on the couch behind us. "I developed strong feelings for you which are hard to ignore. Earlier when _vamp_ was there, it was easy to set those feelings aside. But to see you broken ignites a protective part in me. I...," he pulled at his hair in frustration and I stepped forward to sit beside him. He looked at me, taking my hands in his.

"Swan, I respect you more than I love you. And I respect your feelings for Edward, too. I don't know what overcame me in the hospital to say so many bitter things...," he shook his head in shame.

"Hey... Stop this, Jake. I understand now. Can we just move past it and be friends like we always were before this strange debacle?" I smiled comfortingly.

"I... I don't...," he took his hands off mine and stood.

"Like I said, Swan. Earlier it was easy. But now... Now it's like fighting my basic need to love you...," he closed his eyes in pain.

 _I don't think I realized the intensity of his emotions._ "Jake...," I started, but he cut me off.

"No... You don't need to clarify anything, Swan. It's my problem. Don't worry. I'll always be your _friend_ Jake and not your _psycho lover_ Jake," he laughed at that. "Ok! Forget that conversation ever on, Swan. Tell me how you are feeling now?" he again sat beside me and I realized my _friend_ Jake, as he'd just named himself, had come into the picture again. _I wonder if I'm dealing with people having multiple personality's disorder._

"Better," I nodded at him smiling.

"Ok...," he said slowly. He looked around the home, his eyes searching for something. Finally, he looked at me with questioning eyes.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

"Umm... nothing. It's... Are you alone at home? I mean shouldn't Blondie or Shorty be here with you? Seeing that you were in the hospital a handful of days ago...," he motioned at me.

"Oh... yeah," I stammered. "They were here earlier. Rose and Em visited this morning and Rose prepared enough meals to keep me fed for a while. As you can see I am not _disabled_ and hence, I asked them to stop worrying about me; I can handle myself on my own," I shrugged a shoulder.

"Of course, you can," he nodded affirmatively. "So... I think I should leave," he looked at me hesitantly.

"Yeah. You must have prior commitments to see," I stood.

"No... I mean... Yes, yes," he too stood up and walked a few steps towards the door. "Goodbye, Swan. Take care."

"I will. Goodbye, Jake," we both greeted _too_ formally. _Ugh! When will these strange meetings between us end?_

I closed the door behind him and sighed.

"I told you not to open the door," Edward whispered leaning against the wall.

"Oh," I jumped at his sudden appearance. "I... There wasn't any reason for me to not open that door," I answered. He smiled sadly, raking a hand through his hair.

"Ed...," I was cut off mid sentence by a knock at the door. "Gah! Who's here now?" I rolled my eyes and turned to open the door, yet again.

"Sorry to intrude again, Swan. I just wanted... Woah!" Jake took a step back, his mouth hanging open and his eyes ready to burst out of their sockets.

"What? What is it Jake?" I stepped out of the door towards him, but he was looking at something behind me. _Behind me... Oh no, he can't!_

I turned to look straight into Edward's eyes who was still leaning against the wall, looking confused.

"Hey, Jake," I moved to his side to shake him out of his stupor.

"Swan! He... How? Dead... Wall… Vamp...," he mumbled.

" Ja-Jake come inside," I motioned his frame inside the door and closed it.

"Sit here," I commanded. He followed, but he was still looking to where Edward was standing.

"How can he be here, Swan?" he forced the words out of his throat.

"Who?" I pretended to be unbeknownst of the situation. _Ha! It isn't like he can see Edward._

"Oh, Come on, Swan," he stood up aggressively and jerked me in a position to where I was in a direct line of sight of Edward. "Don't tell me you can't see vamp standing there," he pointed towards the wall with his finger."

 _Fuck my life!_

"You can see him?" I looked at him bewildered.

"Of course, I can, Swan. But... Wait... You are not surprised. That means... Vamp is alive! You... you lied...," Jake moved away from me. "You knew he was alive," he accused.

"Jake... no... That isn't true..."

"Shut the fuck up, Swan. All the fucking times you knew he was alive and still you were being pathetic...," he gasped suddenly as a taller frame loomed over his face.

"Will you stop your verbal assaults and listen to what she's saying, _wolf_?" Edward spat angrily.

"Edward," I tugged on his sleeve to move him aside. God forbid if I can tolerate these two men's tempers. He finally moved aside but not without throwing a death glare at Jake.

"Jake, you need to sit down," I said authoritatively. He was about to protest, but one look from Edward quieted him. "Good. Now listen. You shouldn't be able to see Edward, and I don't know how you can, but believe me when I say that he is not alive," I whispered the last part sadly and Edward shifted to comfort me. Sighing, I continued and told Jake from the beginning about the strange happenings at the Manor, and then Edward's escape from my ring, leaving out the part where Edward told me about his Captor and Savior. That wasn't my place to tell.

Jake seemed to swallow all the information I gave him. "So, you are saying he is not alive as in living and breathing alive, but he is alive as in magic alive," he concluded.

"Umm... Yea... I think you can summarize it all that way," I blinked at him. "But I still can't understand how you can see him when neither Rose nor Em sensed a hair of his presence," I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"Why don't you ask Mr. _I-Am-Magic-Alive_?" Jake muttered sarcastically.

"I don't know," Edward folded his hands over his waist and for the first time since his appearance I saw him looking confused too.

"Wow. Now I really want to parade you around town to collect an army of _Vamp-seeing-people,_ " Jake laughed.

"Shut it, Jake. This is a serious issue. If I don't know who can or can't see him, then I have to do something to hide him. We can't let people see you," I said the last part to Edward.

"You're right, love. But none except you should be able to see me. How he can...," he waved a hand at Jake, "...is beyond me."

"And we can't be sure that no one else can see you," I challenged.

"But why is he here?" Jake stood.

I was milliseconds away from slapping the shit out of him. _Had he lost his mind? Isn't it a good thing that Edward is here... with me..._ But I stopped myself realizing that he wouldn't understand my perspective. For him, logic said that Edward should not exist.

"That's none of your business, wolf. It's best if you to leave," Edward spat angrily, sensing my small breakdown.

"Edward...," I motioned for him to stop. Breathing through my nose, I stood in front of Jake. "See Jake... You remember the stories your mom told us?" I waited for him to follow. When he nodded, I continued. "Ironically, this situation seems the same to me. Some things are beyond our control. We just have to be anxious passengers on life's train, waiting for our station to come in. Trust me on this," I took his hand in mine, giving it a little squeeze.

"Are you sure, Swan?" he looked at me hesitantly.

"I can never be unsure in any situation involving _him,_ Jake," I pleaded him with my eyes to understand.

"Fine, Swan. If you think you can handle the chaos yourself, then let it be," he sighed and moved to leave. "Vamp. Apologies if I said something hurtful," he smiled at Edward. Edward nodded, rolling his eyes slightly. _Oh, these men!_ Jake just laughed a little and turned to hug me.

"Take care of yourself, Swan. And don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. My mom and I are there for you," he whispered in my ear.

"Thanks, Jake. I appreciate it," I gave him a smile as he opened the door to leave.

"Goodbye, vamp," Jake smirked, giving Edward a mock salute.

"Good God. What a day!" I huffed, sitting on the couch with my head in my hands.

"Sorry, love. This is all...,"

"Edward Anthony Cullen! For once will you stop taking all the blame yourself?" I looked at him angrily. He raised his hands in surrender and came to sit beside me. Gently he tugged me into his lap and started massaging my head with his fingertips. I moaned at the warm feeling that bubbled inside me from his action.

"Careful, love. I believe by now you've come to know that we can feel each other's pleasure," he laughed softly.

"Mmmhmm... Then it's your fault for being such a good massage-man," I smiled and closed my eyes.

"When are we going to discuss our next move, Edward?" I murmured after some time.

"When you'll tell me about what you meant when you said to Jacob regarding the _stories_ his mom told you," his tone was solemn.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him confused by this sudden change in the topic. _How can Sarah's stories be a topic of interest to him?_

"I don't understand. Why do you want to know about them?" I remembered what Sarah had said about not telling those things to someone else and added, "Besides I was asked to not discuss that with someone else...," Edward raised an eyebrow at me. _Shit! He wouldn't let it go._ "I mean she indeed failed to mention if you could tell them to your supernatural fiancé, but still- a promise is a promise," I sat up with my hands raised. Edward chuckled silently.

"Love... Maybe Mrs. Black would definitely make an exception for this supernatural fiancé of yours," he smirked cockily. _Oh, and even after so long, I fell for his cockiness._

"Ugh... Fine... So here it is...," I started and told him all the petty details Sarah had told me about my birth mother, Aunt Marie, Charles Black, Billy Black and rest of the family ancestors. After I finished with the tale, I was emotionally exhausted. Edward took me in his arms again and wiped the tears from my eyes. _When did I start to cry?_

"Hush... Love, I know it would have been a lot to take in. I should have been there for you," he breathed, his face buried in my neck.

"No... It's... It just hurts to know how a mother could abandon her child," I sniffled, hugging him closer for comfort.

"That lady wasn't your mother, love... Forget about her," he soothed me, caressing my hair softly.

"I try," I whispered sadly. Even though I try to ignore it, it has remained in the back of my mind. It's like I can't figure out why would have she left me? For love? For money? Running from responsibilities?

"Don't stress yourself, love," Edward kissed the top of my head.

"Mmhmm...," I snuggled into him.

"Do you want to know, now?" he said quietly.

"Know what?" my voice was muffled due to my head buried in his chest.

"About my Savior...,"

"Of course!" I exclaimed, jumping out of his lap. Sitting straighter, I urged him to continue.

"My Bella," he chuckled. "How much I missed you?" I knew the question was rhetorical; so I just smiled at him. He shifted forward and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingertips lingered over my cheek. I tilted my face and kissed each one.

"Tell me," I asked again.

"Not all superstitious things are true, love. And those which are, they are interlinked," his stare was penetrating, and I felt a cold shiver running down my spine.

"What do you...," I stared back at him.

"My Savior... you wanted to know who he was?" he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Or rather _she_ is," he looked at me calculating my response.

"She?" I looked at him confusedly. _His Savior... A lady..._ My eyes widened as realization hit me. "Don't tell me Renee Swan is your Savior...," I shouted.

"What? Of course, not! Lady, you never fail to surprise me," he shook his head laughing under his breath. "You made a serious situation sound comical."

"And why am I not finding this funny, Mr. Cullen?" I raised an eyebrow at him, folding my hands under my breast.

"Sorry, love...," he coughed. "No, Ms. Swan is not my Savior. Swasean is."

 _What the..._

 **ooOOoo**

The snow was falling on the ground and the surroundings were covered in a white sheet. The world outside was cold, and every creature was hidden in its respective sanctuary. Darkness was everywhere which caused at some points the snow lakes to glitter. Far away somewhere the tapping of horses' feet was heard. A man stepped down from one of the horses in front of the only cottage in the area; the horse neighed. The man loudly knocked on the door. Three other horsemen stood still in their positions. The place was silent and hence the sound of a fist meeting wood reverberated all around.

The door creaked open, and the man went in stealthily.

"Mahastra called for you," the man informed lighting a cigarette.

"Tell me something I don't know," a coarse voice replied.

"How long are you going to bear it all, Raim? You know you could get out of here. Just tell me where she is," the man said going further inside the cottage.

There were chains everywhere, and a figure appeared tied to a chair. The man in the chair was covered in dirt and bones were poking out under his skin. His face which was lit by moonlight coming from a small window in the room had a long beard and a heavy white moustache. He seemed like he was starving.

"I told you earlier I don't know where she is," Raim replied angrily.

"Of course, you don't," the man laughed. Coming nearer, he sat on the floor so that he was now level with old Raim in the chair. "Listen. You know if Mahastra comes to know I am coming here to meet you, it will be a big problem for us. It is in both our benefits if you tell me where she is."

"You're just like him," Raim smirked.

"No, I am not," the man stood up fiercely. "Don't provoke me, Raim. Tell me...," the man frustratingly ran both of his hands through his hair. "Look. If you tell me where she is, I'll help you get out of here."

This captured Raim's attention. Of course getting out was the only thing he wished for on a daily basis.

"As if you can do that," Raim tilted his face a little. Everyday with the little magic he was left with, he tried to break the barriers to get out. But he had only succeeded until now to open the door for the man in front of him, a couple of times.

"No, I can't. But she can," the man said. He was silently praying the old fellow to tell him where she was. He wanted to meet her once. Just once.

"You really want to know, don't you?" Raim looked at him curiously.

"You know I do," the man pleaded.

"Hmm...," Raim appeared thoughtful. "But I seriously don't know where she is. Last I know she was in some Seventh Street Manor."

"But she isn't there now. I checked yesterday. Her aura was no where near that Manor," the man cried in frustration.

"Calm down, son. You'll find her. You should leave now," Raim advised.

The man stepped back and turned to leave.

"Farewell, Raim. I'll not come again...," his hand touched the door knob. "And don't call me by that filthy name again. I am not anyone's son." With that the man left closing the door behind him.

The snowflakes shone like stars on a dark night. The tapping of the horses was now far away from the place. Inside the cottage the old man lay back in the chair and closed his eyes.

"I know where you are. But no one else can," he smiled as sleep enveloped him.

 **ooOOoo**

* * *

 **So, What say? I know I took too long for this update, but I was really swamped due to my semester end exams. So now you know who the savior is. And who is Raim? And the man? Who was he searching and what for? Wait and see. ;)**

 **Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR, guys. May you have a wonderful year ahead.**

 **cheshire15: Great insight! It was really Jake :)**

 **REVIEW people! It will keep me going for good and faster ;p I would love to hear you all after so long.**

 **Thank you for following, _favoriting,_ reading and reviewing this story.**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


	20. Chapter 18: Unveiled

**A/N: Hey readers. Long time, I know. But here it is. :)**

 **Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for being a perfect partner and editing this for us. It's so sweet of her to do this after all these long breaks.**

 **No copyright infringement intended. Twilight belongs to SM. FY to Kristie.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 _ **Previously...**_

 _"Do you want to know, now?" he said quietly._

 _"Know what?" my voice was muffled due to my head buried in his chest._

 _"About my Savior...,"_

 _"Of course!" I exclaimed, jumping out of his lap. Sitting straighter, I urged him to continue._

 _"My Bella," he chuckled. "How much I missed you?" I knew the question was rhetorical; so I just smiled at him. He shifted forward and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingertips lingered over my cheek. I tilted my face and kissed each one._

 _"Tell me," I asked again._

 _"Not all superstitious things are true, love. And those which are, they are interlinked," his stare was penetrating, and I felt a cold shiver running down my spine._

 _"What do you...," I stared back at him._

 _"My Savior... you wanted to know who he was?" he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Or rather she is," he looked at me calculating my response._

 _"She?" I looked at him confusedly. His Savior... A lady... My eyes widened as realization hit me. "Don't tell me Renee Swan is your Savior...," I shouted._

 _"What? Of course, not! Lady, you never fail to surprise me," he shook his head laughing under his breath. "You made a serious situation sound comical."_

 _"And why am I not finding this funny, Mr. Cullen?" I raised an eyebrow at him, folding my hands under my breast._

 _"Sorry, love...," he coughed. "No, Ms. Swan is not my Savior. Swasean is."_

 _What the..._

* * *

 **CHAPTER** **18**

 **BELLA**

 _Swasean_... The word tasted odd on my tongue. How can a woman who has been dead for a long time... _Oh, who am I kidding? Anything is possible these days._

"Love? Are you okay?" Edward massaged my arm gently.

"Yes," I whispered. I stared into his eyes silently asking him to tell me how this happened. He smiled miserably and nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"You remember the day we were supposed to leave together to site see? The day when I...,"

"The day when you lied to me," I interrupted sadly, remembering the day when he left me.

"And I'm sorry, love," he sighed, ashamed.

"You're here, now," I smiled cuddling in his arms.

"Yes. And I'll be here as long as you want me," he kissed the top of my head.

"What happened?" I asked closing my eyes, breathing in his sweet essence.

"I left the house that day not long after your departure," he began slowly. "I thought I would finish the work and come back before you could even realize I was gone. As soon as I had reached the outskirts of the city, the weather became very bad. Clouds were thundering, and I could see the rain pouring down on the car. That's when I thought about turning around. But my phone beeped with an incoming call from Mr. Wigzell," he spat his name.

"That asshole," I cursed loudly. Edward tightened his arms around me.

"I didn't pick up the call, but that gave me a reason to look at the sites, and prepare a fucking draft to throw in his face. I continued to drive until the outline of the Manor came into view. I still remember the shiver that went down my spine when I saw the black clouds looming over it. That was the second time I thought about turning around, and leaving the project," he pulled his hair in frustration.

I ran a comforting hand down his back. He relaxed and tilted my face towards his to capture my lips. It had been so long since I'd been embraced like this. So, every intimate moment with him was welcome.

"I wanted to return for us, love. I'd a gut feeling that I wouldn't make it back if I went inside the house," he murmured against my lips. "But I knew there was no turning back. I stopped the car in front of the Manor and jumped out. I ran fast towards the entrance in order to protect myself from getting soaked in rain. Once I reached the door, I took out the key from my pocket which Greene had given to me the previous day," he stopped and closed his eyes. By the expression on his face, he looked like he was remembering something painful.

"We don't have to do this, baby," I told him. I didn't want to torment him.

"No, love. You deserve to know," he took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"Before I could put the key in the keyhole the door opened with a bang. My body was thrown to the bottom of the staircase in front of me, and the doors closed. It was like a horror movie playing out in real life, except the searing pain I felt in my head and on the right side of my body were actually there. I touched the temple of my forehead, and felt blood. I felt another blow to my gut and then I was thrown beside the couch in the living room. I managed to open my eyes. Another blow hit my head. I was sure that I was going to die. But that was not what troubled me. I was afraid for you, love. I wanted to beg your forgiveness for leaving you. I promised to be with you forever. The thing which pained me to my core was the fact that I wouldn't be able to see you, touch you, love you... I love you so much, my Bella...," he sniffled. "The last thing I remember before everything dimmed is a huge body sticking their frame into me," he rubbed at his eyes. These green orbs have always captivated me. _Wait a second..._

"I don't understand," I sat up straight. "Earlier you told me... I mean... I saw your car accident in the ring... and now you are telling me you fainted in the Manor?" my brows pulled in confusion. "Were you lying earlier?" I accused.

"No, love," he pulled me into his arms again. That calmed me down. "I didn't lie to you earlier nor am I now. I don't know how much time had passed. When I woke up I experienced something I can only describe as an alternate reality. I found myself in my car again; my head on the steering wheel which made me question the previous set of events. I looked out of the window, and everything was calm. It confirmed my belief that I must have been dreaming. I wasn't injured and felt no pain in my body. I'd thought that the horror stories of the Manor had gotten into my head," he chuckled miserably. "Alas! I realized later that wasn't true."

I looked at him. He looked the same, yet aged. Two years had been harsh on him. He had an unearthly glow in him, but his eyes whispered all the horror he had witnessed. His eyes were the mirror of his inner self, telling me about all the bad in the world they'd seen.

"I jumped out of the car and set off for the sites," he continued. "As I reached the Manor after examining the three houses in the neighborhood, I realized I was not carrying its keys with me. It was strange because I remembered taking them from Greene. I reached my car once again, and prepared to drive back home. But the weather took an ugly turn as soon as I put the key into the ignition," he ran a hand through his messy hair.

"And then the accident happened," I concluded.

"It's not the end, love," he sighed, entwining our fingers. "As my car collided to the rock, I saw you. What I'm going to tell you will confuse you even more than you are already. But know that ours is not the only reality. And in another reality, you were my Savior," he chanced a look at me to see if I was following.

"Umm... You mean... Like my future self...," I thought out loud.

"Ya... Something like that. What happened in your ring... what you saw during that time is what actually happened to me. You were speaking something, and I was saying sorry," he shook his head. "I felt the exact moment when my body slipped inside yours into that cliff. Now I know that it was not my body; it was my soul," he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What?" I exclaimed. "You're saying that your body was not what fell off the cliff?"

"It was due to Swasean. It was due to her that the realities merged. What happened previously, about my being beaten up at the Manor, actually happened. And someone from another reality, about whom I was not told, alerted Swasean. Before my _Captor_ could take my soul, Swasean used her magic to alter the events. That led me back to my car. She told me later that she had two options: either save my body, or my soul. My soul was more important, so she preserved it. The magic was so powerful that it opened certain gateways, blurring the lines of the past and future; which somehow led me to escape another Bella, who had reached me. Now we know that was something which happened in your ring... Like I said... It's damn confusing," he sighed heavily.

"Where did the other Bella go?" I mused.

"After the magic was lifted, everything went back to normal. Swasean thought if she'd rescued my soul, my Captor would go empty-handed. But that didn't happen. They took away my body, leaving me like...," he muttered frustrated.

"Hey. At least you are here," I rubbed his shoulders comfortingly. "But why you? I mean why do they want you? And why keep your body?" I questioned.

"Swasean has kept that information hidden. She says as something is revealed to more people, the thick cloud cover will lose it's thickness. I don't know what she meant," he shrugged. "She just told me that when the clouds are thick and the time is right, I'll meet the _Worthy One,_ " he smiled down at me crookedly.

"What? You... you think I'm...," I stammered.

"She told me," he folded his hands confidently, as I sat up straight looking at him wide-eyed. "I came to the Manor a week and a half before you arrived...,"

"Wait!" I motioned him with my palm to stop. "You mean you did not actually live there..." _Goodness! You say its confusing? No, my dear. It's a mountain of fucking rocks, each labelled with 'CONFUSION', falling on me every damn second._ I practically felt _Inner_ rolling her eyes at my analogy. _Yea! I'm way too cool._

"Are you insane? Absolutely not! I dreaded that place. I put up one hell of a fight with Swasean when she told me where we were going. It was only when she said I'd be pleasantly surprised by what I would find, that made me go and check. There she showed me a glimpse of you arriving at the Manor; the first in what felt like ages. That did it," he kissed my forehead.

"If you were not at the Manor where have you been all this time?" _Sue me! I'm bound to have a Spanish inquisition after all that had happened._

"Well... I was... asleep...," he scratched his head.

The answer didn't set well with me, but I didn't push. I got up smiling in assurance at him. A glass of water was more than welcomed.

"Where are you going, love?" he held onto my wrist.

"Just needed some water to fuel up my system," I grinned at him. He smiled and let go of my hand.

Putting the empty glass back, I looked at its material carefully. The shiny glass crystals looked breakable; like anything which would collide with it, would lead to its irreversible damage; just like I was, two days ago. The words people threw at me, no matter how kind and genuine, broke me. Whether it was Alice's and Esme's concern or Rose's and Jake's verbal lashings- all led to damaging my soul.

I sighed and turned around. I gasped as the movement accidentally knocked the glass to the floor. To my surprise, it didn't break. The carpet lessened the impact of the fall, preventing it from breaking. Realization dawned upon me. _Edward-_ he was my carpet; the one protecting me from any damage. If I was the one who went on the Street or if I accompanied him that day... I couldn't imagine the horrors. Many people had stood beside me in my bad times, but Edward had no one. He had been alone in his time of distress. God knows what he had faced.

I wiped the wetness that had appeared beneath my eyes. One thing I knew for sure was that he's here and mine to protect.

"Everything alright, love?" Edward poked his head into the kitchen as I was placing the glass back in its place. "You took so long, I came to check..."

I walked over and hugged him tightly.

"Everything is as perfect as it should be," I breathed in the crook of his neck. I felt his arm wrapping around my waist.

I was complete, and I would do anything to _complete_ him.

* * *

January 25, 2017

"Oh, dear. It has been so long that I began to think I wasn't going to see you again," Alice cried, hugging the shit out of me. I patted her back.

"I missed you too, Ali. And let me remind you that you are the one who was absent with no phone calls," I narrowed my eyes at her, once she released me.

"She thought she was going to die," Jazz whispered in my ear, as they entered through the door.

It had been almost two weeks since I last spoke to Alice. She had been very sick the entire time; she had had a bad stomach bug. I'd been asking Rose about her, but she hadn't given me satisfactory answers. So, finally when Jasper picked up my call after it had rang seventeen times, I demanded to know about Alice. He promised to come over and answer my questions.

That's how I found them sitting on the couch in my living room, sipping a glass of water. Yeah! Water! Neither wine nor beer.

"Why did you think you were dying?" I asked Ali. "Hell! Why weren't you answering my calls?" I accused both of them. They looked guiltily towards each other.

"Umm... Bella...," Jasper started.

"I'm pregnant," Alice spurted.

"You're what?" I shouted at the same time as Jasper whined, "Real subtle."

"Why beat around the bush?" she rolled her eyes. "So, yes I'm pregnant, twelve weeks to be exact. No, I didn't know until three days ago, and I admit I was a fool for that, thinking I was going to die, hence breaking all contact with the people I love," she said in a single breath.

"Whoa," I gushed.

"Yeah? You know I'm that awesome," she laughed awkwardly.

"Hush," I chuckled and moved forward to hug her tight. "Congratulations to both of you," I happily wished them.

"Thank you," they both said in unison with cheesy smiles on their faces. They were adorable.

"Does Rose know?" I asked.

"We told her yesterday. She laughed her ass off when I told her about how Alice was scared of _death..._ Owww!" Jasper rubbed at his head laughing as Alice hit him.

"Enough of me, now," Alice glared at him. "How have you been, Bella?" she smiled at me.

"Good," I answered.

"Huh? Just good? Details, woman. We meet after what feels like ages, and all I get to hear from you is _Good?_ " she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Seriously, Ali. My wounds are almost healed, and there's nothing for me to do since Carlisle and Esme had given me a long vacation break. Everything here is pretty boring, you know," I rolled my eyes at her. It's not like I could tell her about the non-boring part these days- Edward who was probably lying in my bed reading some old classic on Architecture, which let me add, had become his favorite pastime. We hadn't decided yet which course of action should be taken against his Captor. Edward said we needed to wait for Swasean. Thinking along these lines had me worried again.

"Hey, are you sure you're alright? Why does your face say otherwise?" Alice questioned.

She might have picked up on my anxiety at which she's become an expert. I nodded and excused myself.

A familiar pair of arms wrapped around me as soon as I entered the kitchen.

"What is it, love?" Edward kissed my head.

"Nothing. Just got caught up in the middle of memories," I hugged him back.

"You know I'm here and I am not leaving you?" he breathed into my hair, and I smiled. It's a comfort knowing this especially when he spoke it out loud.

"Bella, you... What the... Aaaaa!"

I was startled by her sudden shriek which made us practically jump out of our skins. I looked at Alice horrified, who had both her hands clasped over her mouth in a state of shock.

"Alice... Bella... What happened? Did you get hurt?" Jasper came inside shouting frantically. "Baby?" he wrapped his arm around Alice's torso whose eyes were ready to bug out of their sockets. Jasper looked at me questioningly, but I was staring at Alice hoping for any sign which would state that what I was thinking was not the thing she was thinking. However, the moment her hands dropped down by her sides, and her eyes filled with angry tears turned towards me, all my hopes went downhill.

"Alice, baby. Will you please tell me what happened to you?" Jasper shook her tiny frame. But she was glaring at me.

"What the fuck, Bella? When were you planning to tell me about this?" she shouted at me, waving her hand in the air.

"About what?" Jasper looked between the two of us confused. This got her attention.

"Are you fucking blind, Jazz? Can't you see _him_ beside her?" she spat.

"See who?" Jasper scratched his head looking all around the kitchen.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, are you kidding me?" she stamped her feet. "Edward. He is standing there beside... beside Bella," she pointed towards us accusingly.

"What?" Jasper's eyes widened as he looked at me. "Darlin'... There's...what...," he stammered, probably falling short of words.

"Alice... let me ex...," I tried to answer her, but she cut me off.

"You dare not to speak! How can you lie...," she cried, wiping her tears.

"I didn't lie to you, Ali," I stepped forward towards her.

"Oh, no. There's nothing left for you to say," she backed off slightly.

"Would any of you be so kind to explain to me what's happening here?" Jasper asked frustrated. Poor man! I could see where he was coming from.

"Before you come to any conclusion, be aware of the fact that Jasper can't see me. Take a deep breath, and weigh all the possibilities of why this is happening," Edward stated in a firm voice.

"Bullshit! Jazz can see you! Can't you?" she demanded.

"I... I don't know what you are...," Jazz began, looking puzzled.

"Cut the crap, Jasper. Of course, you can see Edward," she rubbed at her temple irately.

"Are you two trying to play with me? What... how can Edward be here..." he looked at me sympathetically, probably thinking I'd be having a breakdown on hearing his name.

"Fuck it!" Alice groaned and went on towards Edward. "He is here. Open your fucking eyes, Jazz," she said holding up his hand. What surprised me was not that Jasper couldn't see him, but it was Alice's hand coming up empty while Edward's was by his side. _That means she can't touch him!_ My eyes widened at the realization.

"What the hell!" Alice jumped flabbergasted. "Why can't I touch you?"

"Ok. Bella, forgive me for saying this as I know Edward is a sore topic for you, but if you two are really making fun of me, let me tell you, it's a very bad joke," he sighed, shaking his head.

"No, Jazz. He's here...," Alice tried to speak, but this was enough.

"Guys, will you just shut your fucking mouths for fuck's sake, and let me explain?" I shouted. That got their attention. _Good._ "Let's take this conversation to the living room, where we'll be more comfortable. Alice," I called, passing her a glass of water. "drink it. All this stress is not good for you." She obediently gulped it down. Jasper took Alice's hand and guided her out of the kitchen.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

"What should we do now, Edward? No offence, but I'm really thinking about following Jake's advice of going on the streets with you and see who the hell can _see_ you?" I moaned. Edward chuckled and kissed the top of my head.

"Actually I'm also quite amused by this," he joked, and I elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow! You know, sometimes I doubt whether the fact that you are able to touch me is really a perk?" he groaned, rubbing his side. I rolled my eyes at him and dragged a laughing goon out of the kitchen.

"Explain," Alice raised a brow at me as soon as we settled.

"Eager much," I countered, but her death glare stopped me from making another witty comment.

"So," I cleared my throat and began narrating the events in the same way I had told Jake. Alice gasped and cried at the appropriate places, maybe more because of her hormones, while Jasper was calm- seriously, no reaction. When I finished telling the story, skipping the gory details of Swasean, Captor and the accident, Alice hugged me tightly, crying softly on my shoulder. It was like déjà vu as minutes ago I was the one hugging her for her good news.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry for accusing you. I thought you'd purposely hidden Edward from us, and that angered me," she wiped her tears. I chanced a look at Jasper, but he was stoic. "I mean it was only yesterday Jazz and I were talking about how you are coping with Edward being gone and now... Oh, Jazz... It's like... Jazz," Alice shook him out of his stupor.

"What?" he looked at Alice.

"What _what?_ Weren't you listening to what Bella just told us?" she asked, knitting her brows.

"Yeah, I heard it all... But... you see...," he scratched the back of his head. "It's quite unbelievable when I...," he waved his hand in air. "can't see what you both are talking about."

"Are you saying that we are lying?" Alice pointed a finger at his chest.

"No, ladies," he raised his hands up in surrender. "But it's really unimaginable."

"Would it be ok if we give him something to make him believe?" Edward whispered in my ear. I turned to look at him, and mischief was clearly hidden in his eyes. He got up and motioned for Ali to exchange places. She grinned devilishly as she caught up with him.

"What?" Jasper questioned as Alice sat beside me.

"Nothing. Just showing you the proof," she smiled innocently.

And that's how thirty-five seconds later we have Alice and Edward laughing hysterically, a sweating Jasper trying to close the zip of his jeans for the 12th time, and a red-faced me, hiding behind my two small hands. _God! I live with five-year olds._ I groaned internally.

"Who's _unimaginable_ now?" Alice air-quoted, as her laughter calmed down.

"Ugh! I'm sorry Edward. Man, I believe you are for real. Stop being an asshole now," Jasper stood up, his hands covering his crotch, while Ali and Edward hi-fived... umm... in air.

"Stop it, Edward," I admonished him, mortified.

"We forgive you, brother," Edward laughed, and Alice repeated the same for Jazz as he couldn't hear him.

"Lucky me," he gasped and sat down. Edward once again extended his hand towards Jasper, but stopped when I glared at him.

Another fit of laughter was induced by Alice as she saw my face, and this time we all joined in. It felt so refreshing to be able to laugh freely again around people I care and love.

Edward and I had a lot to plan because time was ticking. But now with Ali, Jake and Jazz knowing everything, I was hopeful we would find a way for us to be together. However, before that, I planned to reveal everything to Rose and Em, too. They'd always been an integral part of our group, and it would be unfair not to tell them. Edward squeezed my hand as if he could read my mind and silently agreed with me. I smiled and kissed the back of his hand.

It was overwhelming to have all this on us. We didn't know why some people could see Edward while others couldn't. The questions were many, but the quest towards answers would definitely be with our loved ones. We just had to wait for the right time, and my heart felt that that time was near.

 **ooOOoo**

Footsteps echoed in the hallway as heavy leather shoes beat on the wooden floor. They were soaked in dirt and mud due to the heavy rainfall outside. Strong fingers knocked on the shiny metal door which opened seconds later with a deafening noise.

"Where is he?" the man behind the door shouted. "Mahastra would spare no time in killing us all if he lost his patience. And let me remind you, patience is not his virtue," the man's voice faltered.

"Don't worry. The clouds are getting thinner. In no time, it will rain," the other man laughed viciously as he went inside, closing the door loudly.

* * *

 **Wow... Now you know what exactly happened with Edward. ;) I have received PMs regarding this. Damn! It's confusing. You are free to ask me whatever you have in mind anytime. We'll have more of Swasean in later chapters. Oh! And Alice and Jasper are in on the secret. Plus Edward had been really naughty with Jasper. *giggles* Gosh! And Alice is pregnant! Girl or boy? Any guesses?;)**

 **I would leave you with these questions. Let's see what you've got in your mind-**

 **Who is Mahastra according to you? Why does he want Edward?**

 **Should Bella tell all this to Rose and Em?**

 **Do you think Esme and Carlisle would be able to see Edward?**

 **What connections Alice and Jacob have in this as they can see Edward?**

 **And finally, who do you think had alerted Swasean about Edward?**

 **Do ANSWER and gimme the ideas for next chaps:p**

 **Your reviews...**

 **#Guest: Good to know you are reading it. And about where I'm going with this, you'll know soon. :)**

 **#Various PMs: Well I'm not updating sooner because real life is a huge burden many times. And then there are family issues. I'll really try harder to update more often. But I would really like some encouragement or suggestions from you all in your REVIEWS or messages. Yea! I know I'm greedy :D**

 **Another thing... I've posted a short poetry collection of this story named Forever Yours-World of rhymes. Do check it if you like poetries. It's in BPOV now, but we'll soon have an EPOV. Maybe some outtakes in his POV, too. What do you think? Do tell, and I'll think about it.**

 **Oh! And last question! I watched Avengers: Infinity war last month and cried to tears in the end. The movie is a MASTERPIECE, but don't you think they had been harsh on us?*sniffles* Just can't wait for nxt year!**

 **Thank you for reading, following, _favoriting_ and reviewing.**

 **See you soon.**

 **-K**


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